Method of operating a channel recommendation system

ABSTRACT

A method of operating a channel recommendation system with a system for providing channel recommendations over a network, the system including a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory containing programming code to: provide a channel recommendation bid interface at a service provider server of a television service; receive a channel recommendation bid request on the channel recommendation bid interface; determine at the service provider server of the television service at least a first subscriber; determine at the service provider server at least one channel based on the channel recommendation bid request and based on real time viewership information of the television service; associate at the service provider server the determined channel with the determined first subscriber; and provide from the service provider server to a subscriber display device of the first subscriber a recommendation link to the determined channel.

RELATED APPLICATION DATA

This application is a continuation of, and claims the benefit of, U.S.patent application Ser. No. 11/744,127 filed May 3, 2007. U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/744,127 is a continuation in part of, and claimsthe benefit of, each of the following: PCT Serial No. PCT/US2005/027659filed Aug. 4, 2005, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication 60/598,641 filed Aug. 4, 2004; U.S. patent application Ser.No. 11/465,735 filed Aug. 18, 2006, which claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Patent Application 60/710,030 filed Aug. 18, 2005; and U.S.patent application Ser. No. 11/353,920 filed Feb. 13, 2006.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to content recommendations. Morespecifically, the present invention relates to recommending channels.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The networked world, particularly the Internet, World Wide Web (WWW),and television service has numerous communication formats andinteractions. Some of the most ubiquitous include email, HTML web pages,and television. Over the past several years, there has been an increasedinteraction between these methods of communication and interfacesincluding information related to user profiles, various networkinformation sources and feed formatted content.

FIG. 1 shows representative feed formatted content 100. Feed formattedcontent is structured data, such as for example Electronic DataInterchange (EDI), Extensible Markup Language (XML), or a subset of ageneral format such as RSS (Rich Site Summary or Really SimpleSyndication), a hybrid or extension of some such standard, or the like.Feed formatted content 100 may be accessed through a feed, stored in alocal file, or the like. A feed is the data returned when a request forfeed formatted content is made. Feed formatted content may include afeed header 101. In one embodiment, feed header 101 includes a headerlabeling feed formatted content 100 as XML data, and further providestwo element wrappers: rss and channel. Feed formatted content 100 oftenrepresents multiple items, as is that displayed in FIG. 1. Each feeditem 106 may represent one or more news headlines, events, searchresults, items for sale or any other data. Feed item 106 may contain anynumber of elements. For example, it may include a title element 107,link element 108, and a description element 109. The term feed formattedcontent may describe an entire feed, a portion of a feed, a feed item,or a portion of a feed item.

It would be useful to provide a method for channel recommendations andshared communications based on various network information sources.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the invention provides a method of operating a channelrecommendation system, including, providing a channel recommendation bidinterface, receiving a channel recommendation bid request on theinterface, and displaying a recommendation link to the channel on atleast one user recommendation display device based on the channelrecommendation bid request.

Another aspect of the invention provides method of operating a channelrecommendation system, including, providing a channel recommendation bidinterface, receiving a channel recommendation bid request via theinterface, determining a real-time viewership of at least one channelbased on the bid request; and displaying a recommendation link to thechannel on at least one user recommendation display device based on thechannel recommendation bid request and the determined real-timeviewership.

Another aspect of the invention provides a method of operating a sharedinformation system, including, receiving a recorded clip recommendationrequest from a recommendation source, determining a recipient based onthe recommendation request, wherein the recipient is a user differentfrom the recommendation source, determining a recorded video clip basedon the recommendation request, determining an ad based on a group orindividual profile associated with the determined recipient, andassociating the determined clip and the determined ad with thedetermined recipient.

Another aspect of the invention provides a method of operating a sharedinformation system, including, determining at least one video clip basedon real time viewership information, determining at least one subscriberbased on a group or individual profile, and associating the determinedvideo clip with the determined subscriber.

Another aspect of the invention includes a method of operating a sharedinformation system, including, determining viewership of a plurality ofchannels in real time, categorizing the determined viewership bygeographic regions, providing a plurality of sponsorship offers based onthe geographic categories, receiving at least one sponsorship bid to atleast one of the sponsorship offers from at least one advertiser,determining a geographic location of video clip recommendationrecipients, determining a sponsorship based on the received bid and thedetermined geographic location, and associating the determinedsponsorship with at least one of the video clip recommendationrecipients.

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention willbecome further apparent from the following detailed description of thepresently preferred embodiment, read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings. The detailed description and drawings are merelyillustrative of the invention rather than limiting, the scope of theinvention being defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of feed formatted content, as known inthe art;

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic diagram of one embodiment of atelecommunication system of the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing payment marker enhanced feed formatted content;

FIG. 4 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing payment marker enhanced feed formatted content;

FIG. 5 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing reward marker enhanced feed formatted content;

FIG. 6 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing reward marker enhanced feed formatted content;

FIG. 7 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing reward marker enhanced feed formatted content;

FIG. 8 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing event date marker enhanced feed formatted content;

FIG. 9 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing feed formatted content;

FIG. 10 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing aggregated feed formatted content;

FIG. 11 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing feed formatted content;

FIG. 12 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing feed formatted content;

FIG. 13 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for tracking feed formatted content;

FIG. 14 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for tracking feed formatted content;

FIG. 15 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing feed formatted content;

FIG. 16 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for feed sponsorship;

FIG. 17 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of aprocess for feed sponsorship;

FIG. 18 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of aprocess for feed sponsorship;

FIG. 19 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for indexing feed items within a database;

FIG. 20 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for sharing feed formatted content;

FIG. 21 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing unique feed formatted content;

FIG. 22 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for aggregating feed formatted content;

FIG. 23 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for aggregating feed formatted content;

FIG. 24 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing feed formatted content;

FIG. 25 illustrates a schematic diagram of one embodiment of an IAPcontrol server;

FIG. 26 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing and populating a user feed;

FIG. 27 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for managing server-based bookmarks;

FIG. 28 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for managing feed formatted content;

FIG. 29 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing real time advertising;

FIG. 30 illustrates a flowchart representative of a process forassociating affiliate feed formatted content;

FIG. 31 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing feed formatted content;

FIG. 32 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing a branded feed formatted content aggregatorinterface;

FIG. 33 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing feed formatted content;

FIG. 34 illustrates a schematic diagram of one embodiment of an IAP.

FIG. 35 illustrates a schematic diagram of one embodiment of an IAP.

FIG. 36 illustrates a schematic diagram of one embodiment of an IAP.

FIG. 37 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing real time advertising;

FIG. 38 illustrates a schematic diagram of one embodiment of an IAP.

FIG. 39 a-c illustrates schematic diagrams of various embodiments of anIAP.

FIG. 40 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing feed formatted content;

FIG. 41 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for operating a real time fantasy sports league;

FIG. 42 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for operating a real time fantasy sports league;

FIG. 43 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing feed formatted content;

FIG. 44 illustrates a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a singlepage multi-source configuration interface;

FIG. 45 a-b illustrates schematic diagrams of various embodiments of anintelligent thin client.

FIG. 46 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for delivering feed formatted content to an intelligent thinclient;

FIG. 47 a-b illustrates schematic diagrams of various embodiments of aninterface screenshot for selecting a customized IAP interface;

FIG. 48 illustrates a schematic diagram of one embodiment of aninterface screenshot for affiliate feed subscription;

FIG. 49 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for selecting a customized IAP interface;

FIG. 50 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing profiled feed response tracking;

FIG. 51 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing feed formatted content at 5100;

FIG. 52 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for monitoring feed formatted content at 5200;

FIG. 53 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for prioritizing feed formatted content at 5300;

FIG. 54 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for profile feed response tracking at 5400;

FIG. 55 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing feed formatted content at 5500;

FIG. 56 illustrates a flowchart representative of a process forproviding feed formatted content in association with a social networkdatabase at 5600;

FIG. 57 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing feed formatted content at 5700;

FIG. 58 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing feed formatted content at 5800;

FIG. 59 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing feed formatted content at 5900;

FIG. 60 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for feed formatted content advertising at 6000;

FIG. 61 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing real time advertising at 6100;

FIG. 62 a illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing a feed based calendar;

FIG. 62 b illustrates a feed item including an event date marker;

FIG. 62 c illustrates a feed based calendar;

FIG. 63 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing a feed based calendar;

FIG. 64 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for group scheduling;

FIG. 65 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for event notification;

FIG. 66 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing event date notification;

FIG. 67 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for sharing date information;

FIG. 68 a illustrates a flowchart embodiment of providing ageographically enhanced feed;

FIG. 68 b illustrates a geographically enhanced feed item;

FIG. 68 c illustrates the IAP display of a geographically enhanced feeditem;

FIG. 69 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for selectively providing a feed based on a geographic marker;

FIG. 70 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for selectively providing geographically related feed formattedcontent;

FIG. 71 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing information on a map;

FIG. 72 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for selectively providing geographic related feed formattedcontent;

FIG. 73 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing location information;

FIG. 74 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing customized feed formatted content;

FIG. 75 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing customized feed formatted content;

FIG. 76 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing customized feed formatted content;

FIG. 77 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing feed formatted content;

FIG. 78 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for recommending feed formatted content;

FIG. 79 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for customizing feed formatted content;

FIG. 80 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for enhancing online product and service listing books;

FIG. 81 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing online product and service listing serviceinformation;

FIG. 82 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing package tracking;

FIG. 83 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing package tracking.

FIG. 84 illustrates a schematic diagram of one embodiment of atelecommunication system of the present invention;

FIG. 85 a-d illustrate embodiments of a remote control device inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 86 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of clipsharing;

FIG. 87 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment ofoperating a channel recommendation system;

FIG. 88 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment ofoperating a channel recommendation system;

FIG. 89 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment ofoperating a shared information system;

FIG. 90 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment ofoperating a shared information system; and

FIG. 91 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment ofoperating a shared information system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 2, a telecommunication system 200 of the presentinvention is shown. Telecommunication system 200 comprises a network 210which provides the communications links between the various nodes oftelecommunication system 200. Links through network 210 may includepermanent connections (e.g., wire or fiber optic cables), temporaryconnections made through telephone, wireless or satellitecommunications, or various nodes of telecommunication system 200 mayactually be hosted on the same physical hardware platform removing thenecessity of a network link altogether. Network 210 may be in the formof public or private connections available over the Internet, anextranet, an intranet, a hard-wired local area network (LAN), ahard-wired wide area network (WAN), a wireless LAN, a wireless WAN,cellular network, satellite network, and/or other forms as would occurto those having ordinary skill in the art.

A user node 220 of telecommunication system 200 operates to facilitatecommunications of requested information in audio form and/or visual formbetween a user 222 of user node 220 and one of the other nodes oftelecommunication system 200. Devices, apparatuses and systems, such asfor example, a cell phone 225, a personal digital assistant 226, and apersonal computer 224 as illustrated, or any other user communicationdevices may be utilized within user node 220 to establish suchcommunications. Other suitable devices may include television 227,set-top box (STB) 228, or gaming console 229. Serviceable apparatusesand systems not illustrated include networked household, office,vehicular or other communications systems such as digital or satelliteradio systems, stand-alone terminals, automatic teller machines,elevators, refrigerators, Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) connecteddevices, and others as would occur to those having ordinary skill in theart.

A content provider node 230 includes one or more servers 232 forcommunicating with the other nodes of telecommunication system 200. Therequested information, pushed information, and generally providedcontent can be in a variety of forms, such as, for example, a static ordynamic web page (HTML or XML), a radio or video broadcast ornarrowcast, wireless application protocol (WAP) content, a shortmessaging service (SMS) message, or other forms of network informationas known in the art. All content may be provided as the entirety ofrequested or provided content, or as a portion. For example, contentprovider node 230 may provide an entire web or WAP page or only asegment of a page. Accordingly, content server 232 can include suitablehardware platforms and software modules to operate as a web site server,a radio broadcast server, etc.

Referring again to FIG. 2, publishing node 240 includes one or moreservers 242 for communicating with the other nodes of telecommunicationsystem 200. Publishing node 240 may include apparatus and communicationsdevices such as telephone 244, or fax machine 246. In one embodiment,publishing node 240 provides some portion or all of the content forcontent provider 230. Publishing node 240 may also publish content oradvertisements for advertiser node 250. Publishing node 240 may includeinterfaces for uploading or inputting by some means content that is tobe published via network 210.

Advertiser node 250 represents advertisers that may be any of an endadvertiser of a product or service, a marketer, a publicist, apolitician, any other similar party, or any party acting as an agent ofthe advertiser such as a media company, public relations company,advertising agency, or traditional publication. Advertiser node 250 mayinclude apparatus and communications devices such as computer 252,telephone 254, or fax machine 256.

Service provider node 260 represents third party service providers,whose services may be incorporated into the present telecommunicationssystem 200. For example, Mapquest or Google Maps may provide mappingfunctionality and services. Evite may provide event invitation andresponse management services. Quova may provide IP-to-geographytranslation services. Gracenote may supply its CDDB product andservices. Friendster, MySpace, or the like may provide social networkservices. Paypal or Verisign may provide payment services. These serviceproviders are only exemplary, and within each service category otherservice providers may be available, or another node of the system mayprovide like service. Service providers may also perform advertising orpublishing functions. Service providers may operate as independent nodesof telecommunications system 200, or may provide copies of their code,databases, systems and the like for local installation on another nodeof telecommunications system 200. Service may be provided in the form ofdata feeds, application program interface (API), web services, or anyother form of communication available in telecommunications system 200as would occur to one skilled in the art.

While the nodes of FIG. 2 are illustrated and described as solelycommunicating using network 210, this is only to be considered a bestmode, and not limiting. Various nodes, where possible, may communicateusing other forms of communication including phone, fax, in-personmeetings, mail, and other forms known in the art. In addition, each nodemay consist of more or fewer communications devices, personnel, andapparatus than are illustrated. Further, while the nodes, and furthertheir component make-up (e.g. servers, databases), are described asoperating independently and on separate platforms, it should be wellunderstood by one skilled in the art that various functions of the nodeor functions of the multiple nodes may be performed on the same physicalhardware, or spread in different configurations, arrangements andarchitectures among the various nodes.

User node 220, content provider node 230, publishing node 240,advertising node 250, and service provider node 260 may each provide orreceive feed formatted content. Examples herein will typically focus onXML, and specifically RSS, but it should be understood that other feedformatted content may employ like solutions. The term marker shalltypically refer to an element, attribute, or group of elements andattributes within feed formatted content, and the terms marker, element,and attribute shall generally be understood to mean formattedinformation within feed formatted content.

Feeds may be provided in a variety of ways. A feed may be provided froma Primary Content Provider (PCP), or feed source server, which is anoriginal information source, such as, News.com or the New York Times.The feed from a PCP is accessed from a domain and URL maintained by theoriginal source. Portions or all of the feed or feed content may bewritten or edited through outsourcing, outside software may be used togenerate the feed, and interfaces hosted by another entity may be usedin the feed generation. However, a PCP maintains all feed data locally.An Outsourced Content Provider (OCP) is a feed provider that providesfeeds in an Application Service Provider (ASP) model. Feed data ismanaged and maintained remote from the original source, however the feedmay still be hosted from a domain or URL maintained by the originalsource through remote data request. In one embodiment, an OCP may beemployed by a PCP to manage the creation of feed formatted content, andthe OCP may provide the ability, for example through FTP, to publish thefeed formatted content at a server maintained by the PCP. An AggregateContent Provider (ACP) may generate original feed content, but an ACPreceives feed content and redistributes it in one or more feedsmaintained by the ACP. Both an OCP and an ACP may be referred to as afeed intermediate server. Each node of telecommunication system 100 mayact as, or use the services of, one or more PCPs, OCPs, or ACPs.

It should be noted that delivery of feed formatted content does notnecessarily imply that an active push is involved. Delivery of feedformatted content may, in one embodiment, allow that the feed formattedcontent be made available for request. For example, the feed formattedcontent may be made available at some universal resource identifier(URI), or at some other location available to a user. Similarly, itshould be noted that terms sending feed formatted content or providingfeed formatted content do not necessarily imply that an active push isinvolved. Sending a feed formatted content may, in one embodiment,indicate that the feed formatted content is made available for request.For example, the feed formatted content may be made available at someuniversal resource identifier (URI), or at some other feed locationavailable to a user. However, the delivery, provision, or sending methodfor the feed formatted content may not be through request of an XMLfeed, RSS feed, atom feed, or the like, but rather may involve a moreactive push of the content.

Feed formatted content may include certain enhancement markers, dataand/or formatting to provide enhanced feed creation, management,delivery, organization, interaction, accountability, display, and thelike. For example, enhanced feed formatted content may include elementsadditional to those shown in feed 200. Feed aggregation and displaytools may ignore additional elements, and may be capable of aggregatingand displaying feed items even if they do contain these additionalelements. Inclusion of additional elements or markers within feedformatted content therefore may provide additional benefit if theaggregation and display tool is designed to process them, and may notdisrupt standard feed formatted content aggregation and display.

For example, a feed publisher may publish feed formatted contentassociated with a product or service available for purchase. The feedformatted content may include a payment marker. FIG. 3 illustrates aflowchart representative of one embodiment of a method for providingpayment marker enhanced feed formatted content at 300. A client providesa request for feed formatted content at 302. The request for feedformatted content is received at the server. The server provides feedformatted content including at least one payment marker based on therequest at 304. The user then provides a payment process request basedon the payment marker at 306. The server initiates a payment based onthe payment process request at 308. In one embodiment, the payment maybe processed at the server. Alternatively, the payment may be initiatedat service provider node 260 in response to the payment process request.In one embodiment, the request for feed formatted content may includeproduct or service specifications as well as geographic area and pricepreferences. Product or service specifications may include brand names,model names or numbers, product or service descriptions, or the like.

In one embodiment, when a payment marker is present, an interface maydisplay a “buy now” button or link that takes the user to a purchasingpage on some other site. Alternatively, instead of directing the user toa site where they may purchase the product, the service receiving thefeed formatted content may hold all necessary information regarding thepurchase for the user. In one embodiment, the “buy now” button or linkcauses a form to be submitted to the merchant site including visible orhidden form elements and user info regarding the purchase and paymentdetails. Alternatively, clicking the button may cause a webservice to becalled, or some other like communication with an order and/or paymentprocessing service. In one embodiment, the “buy now” button or link maysignal the service to process the purchase indicated in the feedformatted content. For example, a user may register for or create a feedthat searches Ebay® for a particular type of item at a certain pricethreshold. When that type of item becomes available on Ebay for a setprice under the threshold, a feed item representing that availabilitymay be inserted into the user's feed and it may include a paymentmarker. In one embodiment, the payment marker may include the price, theuser's Ebay login information, the seller's information, an identifierfor the particular item up for purchase, or other information relevantto the purchase. The “buy now” button or link displayed on the displayinterface may submit directly to the Ebay site and process thetransaction based on the login information and identifier.Alternatively, the “buy now” button or link may submit to a serviceprovider. The service provider may hold a purchase script for Ebay aswell as other ecommerce sites. When the “buy now” submission is receivedat the service provider, the Ebay purchase script may be executed. Thescript may include, for example, sending a post request to an Ebaypurchase page, sending a post request including user login credentials,and a post request confirming the purchase. In one embodiment, theservice provider may communicate the purchase in some other manner suchas, for example, electronic business XML (ebXML), a webservicesapplication program interface (API), or some other form of purchase datatransfer. One-click purchasing can in many of the above-describedembodiments be achieved separate from a central storefront.

FIG. 4 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing payment marker enhanced feed formatted content at400. The server receives a user purchase specification at 402. Theserver issues a request for feed formatted content at 404. A contentpublisher receives the request for feed formatted content at 406. Thecontent publisher provides feed formatted content including at least onepayment marker at 408. The server initiates a payment process based onthe at least one payment marker and the user purchase specification at410.

By way of another example, a restaurant may publish feed formattedcontent, such as, for example, regarding a dinner special for aparticular night. The restaurant may be enrolled in a rewards programsuch as the airline miles rewards program managed by Rewards NetworkInc., formerly iDine. Users who are enrolled in this program wouldbenefit from knowing that the restaurant is also enrolled, but thatinformation may be superfluous for non-enrolled users. The restaurantfeed formatted content may include a reward marker that either includesinformation about the particular reward deal at that restaurant, linksto the reward deal, or simply indicates that the reward is available.

FIG. 5 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing reward marker enhanced feed formatted content at500. A content publisher provides feed formatted content including atleast one reward marker at 502. User reward program information is alsosupplied at 502. The server determines whether to display rewardinformation associated with the reward marker based on the user rewardprogram information at 504.

For example, the reward marker might indicate that twenty airline milesare earned per dollar spent at the restaurant. A feed formatted contentdisplay service may hold information regarding what users are registeredwith the rewards program, and may selectively display the rewardavailability based on the reward marker and the user information.

FIG. 6 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing reward marker enhanced feed formatted content at600. An ACP receives feed formatted content at 602. The ACP receivesreward program information at 604. The ACP associates the feed formattedcontent with the reward program information at 606. The ACP providesenhanced feed formatted content including a reward marker at 608.

FIG. 7 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing reward marker enhanced feed formatted content at700. A server receives feed formatted content at 702. A user providesuser reward program information at 704. For example, user reward programinformation may include indication of participation in a program orstatus within a program. The server associates the feed formattedcontent with the user reward program information and provides enhancedfeed formatted content including at least a reward marker based on thereward program information at 706. When the user receives feed formattedcontent from the server, and for example they are in a programassociated with the reward marker, the user receives feed formattedcontent including the reward marker at 708. In one embodiment, the userdoes not receive the feed formatted content if they are not in theprogram. Alternatively, the feed formatted content may be received, butthe information associated with the reward program is not display. Byway of another example, the reward information may be displayed in onemanner if the user is in the program and in another if they are not.

In one embodiment, feed formatted content may include one or more eventdate markers. While it is common practice to include a published datefor feed formatted content, it would be advantageous to include a datemarker particular to an event referred to in the feed formatted content.FIG. 8 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing event date marker enhanced feed formatted contentat 800. A server receives feed formatted content including at least oneevent date marker at 802. A user provides at least one user eventpreference at 804. The server determines whether to provide the feedformatted content to the user based on the user event preference and theevent data marker at 806.

For example, feed formatted content provided by Ticketmaster® mayinclude a feed item referring to a concert that will take place in twoweeks. The published date reflects the first date the item is displayedin the feed, but the separate event date marker may be used tocommunicate the actual concert date. A user may specify a userpreference that they wish to receive concert information as much as amonth ahead of time. The server may provide them with the feed formattedcontent from Ticketmaster including the feed item referring to theconcert. Alternatively, if the user only wishes to receive informationabout concerts coming up within the next week, the server does notprovide the concert information.

Publishing node 240 may act as an OCP or ACP and may serve to publishfeeds for a content provider 230, an advertiser 250, a service provider260, or a user 220. When publishing node 240 acts as an OCP it mayreceive content in a variety of ways. For example, content may bereceived at a call center, by web or software interface, by fax, byemail, or by any other means of information and data transfer known inthe art. In one embodiment, publishing node 240 may receive an emailnewsletter from an original source and either manually translate thenewsletter into feed formatted content or automatically parse ortranslate it into the same. FIG. 9 illustrates a flowchartrepresentative of one embodiment of a method for providing feedformatted content at 900. A user provides an email at 902. The user mayprovide the email by sending or forwarding an email, or replying to anemail. The server receives the email at 904. The server converts theemail into feed format at 906. The server associates the converted feedformatted email with one or more feeds based on an email addressassociated with the email at 908. For example, an email received at acertain address maintained by publishing node 240 might convert thesubject of the email into a feed item title 107, and convert the emailmessage body into a feed item description 109. The feed formattedcontent may be placed in a certain feed based upon the sending orreceiving email address, including the carbon copy and blind carbon copyrecipients. Alternatively or in addition, scanning of the email bodyand/or subject may be used to categorize and assign the converted feeditem to a particular feed, for example it may be categorized andinserted into a feed based on key word or subject matter. Otherfiltering methods known by one skilled in the art may be employed toprocess the email.

In one embodiment, publishing node 240 may receive calls fromadvertisers at a call center. If the advertiser has never worked withpublishing node 240 before, account information may be entered into anadvertiser database. In one embodiment, the account information mayinclude information to be displayed on a landing web page for theadvertiser or the advertiser may designate a URL for a landing web page.A feed may be established exclusively for the advertiser to hold thefeed formatted content that is ordered. The feed formatted contentordered by the advertiser may be placed in a feed with other feedformatted content.

In one embodiment, a feed formatted content publishing interface may beprovided, for example at a web site, that allows users, advertisers,advertising agencies, or any other entity to log in to an account andcreate feed formatted content. For example, an advertiser may log intotheir account and encounter a page that includes a form requestingtitle, link, and description information that will be converted to feedformatted content and included in the advertiser's feed. Given thevarious methods by which feed formatted content may be created orpublished by publishing node 240, different pricing methods may beestablished to charge for the publication and management services. Forexample, publishing node 240 may charge a certain amount for a phoneorder but allow submissions via an online interface for a cheaper priceor for free.

FIG. 10 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing aggregate feed formatted content at 1000. Theserver provides at least one feed on an authority site 1002. Anadvertiser provides advertiser information at a feed insertion node at1004. The server receives the advertiser information and provides atleast a portion of the information as a feed item in the feed at 1006.The advertiser provides payment based on the provided advertiserinformation at 1008. The server processes payment from the advertiserbased on the received advertiser information at 1010. In one embodiment,the received advertiser information may include a display time period,demographic characteristics, destination site, or the like. In oneembodiment, the server provides an aggregate feed. The aggregate feedmay be a feed made up, at least in part, of feeds for each individualadvertiser. In one embodiment, the aggregate feed may be modified by theuser to include a subset of the feeds or feed items in the aggregatefeed.

In one embodiment, the feed formatted content publishing interface mayinclude one or more options, for example as form elements, to specifyone or more enhancement markers. For example, a payment marker, rewardmarker, event marker, or the like may be added to the content throughthe interface.

In one embodiment, the feed formatted content publishing interface mayinclude interface options for specifying recurrence of feed formattedcontent. A user may enter one or more recurrence patterns. Thepublishing node may publish the feed formatted content based on therecurrence pattern. FIG. 11 illustrates a flowchart representative ofone embodiment of a method for providing feed formatted content at 1100.A recurrence selection is received at the server at 1102. The serverstores the recurrence selection at 1104. The recurrence selection isassociated with at least a portion of feed formatted content. Arecurrence publication service runs on the server or against theinformation on the server at 1106. The associated feed formatted contentis then selectively published based on the recurrence selection and therecurrence publication service. If the recurrence publication servicedetermines that a new occurrence has occurred, the feed formattedcontent is published at 1110. If the recurrence publication servicedetermines that a new occurrence has not occurred, no new content ispublished at 1112.

For example, the recurrence selection could be expressed via aninterface. A user may select that a certain feed item should bepublished at 5 pm on each Monday. The server may, in one embodiment,store the recurrence selection as a recurrence pattern format such asthe standardized iCalendar format. The recurrence publication servicemay run once a minute to determine if any new items are due forpublishing. This may be achieved by selecting one ore more recurrencepatterns, for example all recurrence patterns, or active recurrencepatterns, or recurrence patterns associated with active feed formattedcontent or users, and the recurrence publication service then projectingthe selected recurrence patterns over the time period since it last ran.If a new occurrence falls into that time period, the feed formattedcontent may then be published. In one embodiment, the publishing nodemay insert at least one globally unique identifier in the feed formattedcontent based on the recurrence selection. This globally uniqueidentifier may indicate to feed aggregation programs that the feedformatted content is fresh, even though it is recurring in nature. Inone embodiment, a recurring content identifier may be inserted with thepublished content. A feed aggregation program may be configured to allowa user to filter out feed formatted content containing a recurringcontent identifier associated with recurring feed formatted content. Inone embodiment, a conditional publishing rule may also be associatedwith the feed formatted content. The feed formatted content may bepublished based on both the recurrence pattern and the conditionalpublishing rule.

In one embodiment, the feed formatted content may include a differentglobally unique identifier (GUID) for some portion of the feed formattedcontent based on the recurrence pattern. A different GUID may allow afeed aggregator to recognize recurring feed formatted content as unique.Alternatively, the published date of one or more portions of the feedformatted content may change based on the recurrence pattern, and mayprovide a uniqueness indication.

In one embodiment, the published feed formatted content may include arecurring content identifier (RCID). The RCID may indicate that at leasta portion of feed formatted content is recurring in nature.

In one embodiment, the feed formatted content publishing interface mayinclude the option to provide one or more conditional publishing rules.FIG. 12 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing feed formatted content at 1200. A conditionalpublishing rule is received at the server at 1202. The conditionalpublishing rule is associated with feed formatted content at 1204. Thefeed formatted content is then published based on the conditionalpublishing rule. If the condition is met, the feed formatted content ispublished at 1206. If the condition is not met, the feed formattedcontent is not published at 1208. A user may enter one or moreconditional publishing rules. The conditional publishing rules areassociated with at least a portion of feed formatted content on theserver or at an alternate location. The publishing node publishes thefeed formatted content based on the conditional publishing rules. Aconditional publishing rule may be a weather condition, a sportingevent, a financial event, reservation availability, a product sale, orsome other determinable condition. For example, a bar may have a beergarden open on weekend nights. A recurrence pattern may be associatedwith feed formatted content regarding the special. The recurrencepattern may indicate to publish the feed formatted content on Friday andSaturday of each week from May until November. The weather condition maybe determined, in one embodiment, for example, by temperature or weathercondition information in feed formatted content from a weatherpublishing service provider node. However, if one of those weekend daysis not warm and/or has rain, the bar may wish that the feed formattedcontent not be published that day. A conditional publishing rule may beassociated with the feed formatted content indicating that it should bepublished only if the weather is over a certain temperature. Anotherconditional publishing rule may be associated with the feed formattedcontent indicating that it should not be published if it is not raining.Weather information may be provided, for example, as feed formattedcontent by a service provider. The publishing node may receive theweather information and selectively publish the feed formatted contentbased on the weather information and the conditional publishing rules.Other examples of conditional publishing rules include rules based onportions of or outcomes of sporting events, stock prices, product sales,reservation availability, or the like. A service provider may providesuch information, or it may be provided by the publishing node, or bythe advertising node.

In one embodiment, the feed formatted content publishing interface mayinclude tracking information. In one embodiment, the publishing node maycollect the tracking information for display on the interface.Alternatively, the publishing node may employ a service provider for thetracking information such as, for example, that provided by FeedBurner.FIG. 13 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for tracking feed formatted content at 1300. A publishing nodehosts a private version of feed formatted content at 1302. Thepublishing node may receive a request a public version of feed formattedcontent 1304. The publishing node may request a second private versionof feed formatted content based on the first private version of feedformatted content 1306. The publishing node may publish the publicversion of feed formatted content based on the second private version offeed formatted content 1308.

In one embodiment, the publishing node may register the first privateversion of feed formatted content with the tracking information serviceprovider. FIG. 14 illustrates a flowchart representative of oneembodiment of a method for tracking feed formatted content at 1400. Thepublishing node may post the URI of the private version of feedformatted content at 1402 and provide it to the tracking informationservice provider at 1404. Other information may be included in the postsuch as publisher information, feed title, URI information, or featureselection information. The publishing node may store the trackingservice identifier at 1406, for example URI of the second version of thefeed formatted content as provided by the tracking information serviceprovider. In one embodiment, the publishing node may cache the secondversion of the feed formatted content. The publishing node may, when itreceives a request for the public version of feed formatted content at1408, request the second version of the feed formatted content at 1410,and publish that feed formatted content to the requestor at 1412.Alternatively, the publishing node may provide the cached feed formattedcontent. The publishing node may request tracking information at 1414from the tracking information service provider and provide it at 1416,for example displaying it to a user via the feed formatted contentpublishing interface. In one embodiment, the publishing node may cachethe tracking information. In one embodiment, the private version of thefeed formatted content may include one or more recurrence selections,one or more conditional publishing rules, or a combination of selectionsand rules, and may be published based on these selections and rules.

FIG. 15 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing feed formatted content at 1500. A publishing nodelist is provided by a server at 1502. A selection input is received by auser at 1504. The selection input includes identifiers for one or morepublishing nodes. A publishing node then provides feed formatted contentat 1506. The feed formatted content may be provided to the publishingnodes selected by the user. Payment or consideration may be requiredbased on the selection input. For example, a certain site may charge amonthly fee to have feed formatted content included on its site.Alternatively, a site may require a feed formatted content exchange. Byselecting to have feed formatted content on that site, a publisher maybe agreeing to publish that site's feed formatted content on his own. Inone embodiment, a publishing node may have the option to selectacceptance or denial of the feed formatted content based on theselection input of the user. Individuals may contact each siteindividually to have their content published on those sites, or therecould be an interface displaying the end site options and, for example,the amount each costs or the consideration required. This end sitepublishing node list and interface may be associated with a feedpublishing interface or may be provided independently of such aninterface. If it is provided independently, the user may specify a feedsource for the information they wish to syndicate.

One embodiment of the present invention provides for sponsorship of feedformatted content. Sponsorships may be provided for entire feeds, foraggregate feeds, for individual feed items or subsets of a feed, or forgroups of feed formatted content. Sponsorships may be provided in avariety of ways. For example, a feed item may include extra text in thedescription or title element indicating the sponsorship. Alternatively,when a link in a feed item is clicked, the user may be taken to anintermediate sponsorship page. An intermediate sponsorship page is apage that audibly or visibly indicates association with a sponsor. Thisintermediate sponsorship page may include a link to the actual desiredcontent, or the page may refresh to display the desired content after aset period of time. In one embodiment, feed formatted content mayinclude an audio or visual marker that is identified and played by theIAP when the feed formatted content is accessed. For example, when afeed formatted content is retrieved from News.com, an audio marker maybe included for Intel. When the feed formatted content is provided, theaudio marker may be identified and a linked audio file may be playedthat says, “This News.com feed is sponsored by Intel,” followed by theIntel jingle.

FIG. 16 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for feed sponsorship at 1600. One or more clients provide arequest for sponsorship of feed formatted content and provide a reply tosponsorship request at 1602. A server determines a feed formattedcontent association based on the request and the reply, and providesfeed sponsorship based on the determination at 1604. A request forsponsorship or a reply to sponsorship may include proposal informationsuch as pricing terms, type of sponsorship allowed, editorial controlinformation, author restriction, time of day, day part, audiencedemographics, keyword or subject, or the like. Editorial control mayinclude the ability to disassociate a sponsorship with at least aportion of feed formatted content, to edit the content, to approve thecontent, or the like, prior to publication. Author restriction mayinclude a specification of an author of at least a portion of the feedformatted content requesting sponsorship, the portion determined by theauthor associated with the content. In one embodiment, the requestand/or reply may be provided via an online sponsorship interface. In oneembodiment, usage information may be tracked for a plurality of feedformatted content sources. A portion of the feed formatted content, forexample the title, and associated tracked feed formatted content usageinformation, for example number of subscribers, may be provided on thesponsorship interface. The request for sponsorship may be received froman author of the feed formatted content. An author of feed formattedcontent may be the actual author of the feed formatted content, an agentof the author, or some other representative of the feed formattedcontent source. The reply to sponsorship may be provided by an author offeed formatted content or by a potential sponsor.

FIG. 17 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for feed sponsorship at 1700. A server provides a request forsponsorship of feed formatted content from an author of the feedformatted content at 1702. The request for sponsorship is received at1704 by a sponsor. A reply is provided by the sponsor in response to therequest at 1706. The server receives the sponsor reply at 1708. Theserver determines a feed formatted content association between thesponsor and the author of the feed formatted content based on the replyat 1710. The server provides the feed formatted content to at least oneuser in accordance with the feed formatted content association at 1712.Providing the feed formatted content to the user may include providingone or more links in the feed formatted content that deliver anintermediate sponsorship page.

FIG. 18 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for feed sponsorship at 1800. A server supplied a request from atleast one sponsor to sponsor feed formatted content at 1802. The requestto sponsor is received by an author of feed formatted content at 1804.The author of feed formatted content provides a reply to the request at1806. The server receives the reply at 1808. The server determines afeed formatted content association between the sponsor and the author ofthe feed formatted content based on the reply at 1810. The serverprovides the feed formatted content to at least one user in accordancewith the feed formatted content association at 1812.

In one embodiment, there is an opportunity for the author or sponsor toreview and accept replies prior to feed provision 1712 or 1812. Forexample, an author may decide that a sponsor that has replied to hissponsorship request is not suitable for his feed formatted content.Though a feed formatted content sponsorship association has beenestablished 1710, the author may not approve the association and thefeed formatted content may never be provided with that sponsorship. Inone embodiment, the sponsor may include a request for editorial controlover a channel as part of their sponsorship response. Again, an authormay decide that this is not suitable for his feed formatted content andmay deny the sponsorship.

In one embodiment, an interface is provided to aid in the process ofproviding sponsored feed formatted content. For example, feed formattedcontent may be categorized and browsed by subject, or searched for basedon descriptive key word or based on key words included within the feedformatted content. Current subscription information associated with thefeed formatted content may also be used to select or solicitsponsorships of certain feed formatted content. For example, a potentialsponsor may use an interface that allows them to select feed formattedcontent with subscription numbers over ten thousand, and of a certaindemographic makeup, such as more than seventy percent female and with anaverage age under 18.

In one embodiment, a sponsor may designate a geographic region identityin which they wish to sponsor feed formatted content. In one embodiment,a geographic region identity may be supplied in the sponsor reply. Ageographic region identity is a set of parameters that define ageographic point or area. For example, a geographic region identity maybe specified by providing a center point, be that a zip code, city, orprecise longitude and latitude coordinates, and also providing a radiusfrom that center point. When a zip code, city, or the like is providedas a point, the system may determine a latitude and longitude pointwithin the provided area, for example at the centermost point. In oneembodiment, the geographic region identity includes the entire zip code,city, or like area in the geographic region identity even if portions ofit would be excluded by the determined center point and the providedradius. Alternatively, only the area determined by the center point andthe provided radius are included in the geographic region identity.Providing multiple points that form a polygon may also specify ageographic region identity. Again the points may be zip code, city, orlatitude and longitude coordinates, and the same inclusion and exclusionembodiments are included as described above. In one embodiment, ageographic region identity includes one or more zip code, city, state,country, or other region selections. In one embodiment, a geographicregion identity may be determined by any combination of theabove-described embodiments. For example, a center point and radius maybe specified in addition to a list of cities to include. As anotherexample, multiple center point and radius pairs may be specified. Ageographic region identity may also include areas of exclusion. Forexample, a center point and radius may be specified that includes tenzip codes, but the user may specify that one of those zip codes is to beexcluded.

In one embodiment, a geographic region identity may be determined basedon double or single confirmation targeting. A geographic region identitymay be determined based on a user profile on a site supplying the feedformatted content, or it may be determined from a profile on anothersite, such as Yahoo®. Alternatively, a geographic region identity may bedetermined by IP-to-geography translation. An IP-to-geography service,such as that provided by Digital Envoy, may be used to determine thelocation of the request.

The geographic origin of a request for sponsored feed formatted contentmay be determined in a variety of ways. The geographic region identity asponsor has designated may be included in proposal information.Alternatively, a sponsor database holding sponsor information mayinclude location information that may be associated with one or moresponsorship proposals. In one embodiment, the determination of feedformatted content sponsorship association 1710 and/or 1810 includes thegeographic region identity. In one embodiment, the provision of asponsored feed formatted content 1712 and/or 1812 includes thegeographic region identity. Based on the geographic origin of a requestfor feed formatted content, a sponsor may be associated with the feedformatted content. Different sponsors may be associated with the samefeed formatted content based upon requests for feed formatted contentfrom different geographic origins. Different sponsors may also beassociated with the same feed formatted content based on day part,profile demographics or any other method of online targeting known inthe art.

In one embodiment, a sponsor may specify an author of feed formattedcontent in their sponsorship request or in their response to asponsorship request. For example, a request for feed formatted contentsponsorship may have multiple authors, and author markers may beincluded in the feed formatted content to identify each author. Asponsor may select to portions of the feed formatted content that isfrom one or more authors by including the author or author marker intheir proposal information. An individual author of feed formattedcontent that is displayed in multiple feeds may also submit a requestfor sponsorship, and sponsorship associations may be made in associationwith that author.

In one embodiment, publisher 140 maintains a database of feed formattedcontent. The database may be modeled so that a feed item may be indexedto more than one feed. This may serve to limit the total number of feedentries stored in the database as it avoids duplication. For example,the database may contain a feed table, a feed item table, and afeed-to-feed-item table. FIG. 19 illustrates a flowchart representativeof one embodiment of a method for indexing feed items within a databaseat 1900. A feed formatted content publisher provides a feed itemassociated with a feed at 1902. A server stores the feed and feed itemin a database at 1904. The server stores a feed-to-feed-itemrelationship associated with the feed and feed item in afeed-to-feed-item table at 1906. In one embodiment, the server may alsoassociate an original feed source identifier with the feed-to-feed-itementry at 1908. For example, feed entry in the feed table may represent afeed from Yahoo® News. When the Yahoo News feed is read into thedatabase, its feed information may be received in a feed table and anentry for a feed item is inserted into the feed item table, and an entryis also inserted into the feed-to-feed-item table associating the YahooNews feed item with the Yahoo News feed. The feed-to-feed-item table mayinclude a flag that signifies that an entry represents the originalfeed-to-feed-item source relationship. In this example, the entry forthe Yahoo News item in the feed-to-feed-item table would indicate by theflag that this is an original source entry. Alternatively, thefeed-to-feed-item table may include a column identifying the originalfeed. As another alternative, an entry date may be used to identify anoriginal source entry as one may assume that the earliest date indicatesthe original source.

FIG. 20 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for sharing feed formatted content at 2000. A client provides aforward item input associated with feed formatted content and a friendpersonal message feed identifier input at 2002. A server associates thefeed formatted content with a friend personal message feed based on thereceived input at 2004. For example, a user that receives the Yahoo Newsfeed item may then wish to forward the feed item to a friend. When theuser forwards the feed item, a new entry may be inserted into thefeed-to-feed-item table associating the Yahoo News item with a secondfeed. For example the association may be made with a personal messagefeed for the friend, or a recommended item feed for the user. In oneembodiment, new copies of feed items are inserted into a feed item tablewhen they are associated with a new feed. A friend personal message feedidentifier may be associated with a social network.

In one embodiment, it may be beneficial to identify unique feedformatted content. FIG. 21 illustrates a flowchart representative of oneembodiment of a method for providing unique feed formatted content at2100. During stage 2102 of the flowchart 2100, a feed item is processedto determine a unique identifier (UID). In one embodiment, a UID may bethe link element 108 of the feed item. Alternatively, the UID may be acombination of factors such as an included posted or published dateelement and the feed source. The feed source used in this determinationmay be the feed requested or through examination of an element such asan original source feed element. In one embodiment, the element orelements used as a UID for a feed item may vary by feed. For example, afeed representing real estate listings may contain an element for theMultiple Listing Service Identifier (MLS ID). For this feed the MLS ID,or a combination of the MSL ID and other information, may serve as theUID. In one embodiment, a UID may be selected manually by a user, or bya site or service administrator. The process selected to generate a UIDmay vary by feed source. In one embodiment, a UID may be generatedthrough the concatenation of any of the following: the feed URI oridentifier, the feed or feed item publication date, the feed item title,the feed item link, or an included feed item globally unique identifier(GUID). In one embodiment, the concatenated string may be converted to adata format such as binary, or varbinary that may provide fastercomparison.

In one embodiment, the unique feed item provision may be to the user atuser node 220. Alternatively, the unique feed item provision may be tosome other node of the present system 200. Upon completion of stage2102, the UID is compared to a list of UIDs associated with thereceiving node at 2104. The list may be maintained at a PCP, OCP, ACP,at a remote server, or at the receiving node 220. The comparison mayalso take place at any of these nodes. Based upon the comparison, it isdetermined whether to provide the feed item 2106 to the receiving node.

In one embodiment, a marker may be provided in the feed formattedcontent specifically to provide unique identification. The UID markermay be generated by appending or hashing feed source information with aposted date or locally generated ID. The combination of a locallygenerated item ID with a URL that uniquely identifies the locationprovides a globally unique identifier when the combination methodemployed is the same for each source of feed formatted content.Alternatively, a third party service provider could be used to generateUIDs for inclusion in feed items or other feed formatted content. When afeed item or other feed formatted content is generated by some source, arequest could be made to the third party source for a UID, and this UIDcould be included in the feed item or other feed formatted content.

In one embodiment, a server may collect feed formatted content from oneor more content servers. Collected feed items may be stored in adatabase. When the collecting server pulls in feed formatted content, itmay be desirable to only update the database with new and unique feedformatted content. The UID may be stored in the database with theassociated feed formatted content, and when feed formatted content iscollected, the one ore more UIDs associated with the new feed formattedcontent may be compared against the UIDs in the database to determinewhether any portion of the feed formatted content is to be added to thedatabase. In one embodiment, the UID may be generated in such a way thatit can be deconstructed into its concatenated parts. The UID may also begenerated in such a way that it may be used for ordering purposes. Forexample, if the first concatenated string is the publication date andsome ordering algorithm is based on how recently a feed item waspublished in comparison to other feed items, the UID may substitute forthe publication date for ordering purposes.

In one embodiment, a feed formatted content aggregation server mayemploy a method for providing unique feed items or feed formattedcontent. A user subscribes to one or more feeds, and the feed formattedcontent aggregation server provides the user with the feed formattedcontent. When a first feed item is retrieved from a feed that the useris indexed to, the feed item and its associated UID are indexed to theuser. Each subsequent feed item from a feed indexed to the user that isreceived at the IAP server will have its UID compared against the listof UIDs indexed to that user. In one embodiment, if the UID is alreadyindexed to the user, the feed item is not indexed or displayed to theuser. Alternatively, the feed item may be indexed to the user but markedas read or viewed, marked as a duplicate and not displayed. In oneembodiment the duplicate feed item may still be displayed to the user,and it may include some marker to indicate to the user that the feeditem is a duplicate.

In one embodiment, determining a UID 2102 includes indexing andcomparing the entire contents of a feed item, and may also includescanning all resources linked to from the feed item. Comparing the UIDto a list of UIDs 2104 may include producing a uniqueness quotient. Thisuniqueness quotient may be used to determine feed formatted contentindexing, and/or ranking, and/or display. By way of example, when a useris subscribed to more than one news feed, for example Yahoo Top Storiesand CNN Top Stories, these news feeds may publish similar feed formattedcontent. For example, both may publish a story based on the sameAssociated Press (AP) release. The feed formatted content aggregationserver may determine the similarity and a uniqueness quotient based onkeywords, full text, content source, or the like. The server may thensuppress a feed item or other feed formatted content based on a lowuniqueness quotient—one that indicates that a feed item or feedformatted content is highly similar to one or more feed items or otherfeed formatted content previously received. In one embodiment, feedformatted content published based on the same information, for examplean AP release, may include a story-source identifying marker. Storiesmay then be optionally filtered based on this marker. In one embodiment,the user may specify whether they wish to receive similar feed itemseither by a simple yes or no selection or by specifying a uniquenessquotient threshold. The same determination process may be used for allfeed formatted content, feeds and feed items, or it may vary by feedformatted content, feed and feed item. For example, two stock quote feeditems from the same feed may contain precisely the same information butrepresent the quote price at different times. This feed might ignore orplace a low requirement for a uniqueness quotient.

In one embodiment a feed formatted content aggregation server mayaggregate or generate recurring feed formatted content. In oneembodiment the feed formatted content may include an existing UID or maygenerate an existing UID such as through one of the methods describedabove. Based on the duplicate UID, the feed formatted contentaggregation server may perform one of several actions. For example, theduplicate UIDs may be associated with an existing and collected feeditem. In one embodiment, a duplicate entry may be included in a feeditem table. In one embodiment, the existing feed item entry is marked asactive. In one embodiment, the database may include a feed item instancetable. When a feed item with an existing UID is received by the system,a new feed item instance entry associated with the existing feed itemmay be inserted. In one embodiment, a new entry is only inserted if thefeed item with the existing UID is not currently active when theduplicate is received. The feed formatted content aggregation server mayinclude a user-to-feed-item-instance table that indicates whether a userhas viewed, read or received a feed item.

In one embodiment, a feed formatted content aggregation server maymaintain a list of sources for feed formatted content, a list of users,and a list of user subscriptions to feed formatted content. The listsmay be maintained in tables of a database. In one embodiment, the tableof sources of feed formatted content may include a last updated date, anext update date, an update frequency, a number of failed updates, and afeed status. In one embodiment, a automatic feed update program, forexample a daemon, service, chron job or the like, may update the locallystored feed formatted content. The automatic feed update program mayselect the feeds requiring update. Feeds requiring update may bedetermined, for example, based upon whether a user is subscribed to thefeed, how many users are subscribed to the feed, what the feed statustype is, and/or what the last update or next update dates are. Forexample, if no one is subscribed to a feed, the service may not selectthat feed for update. When the service has received a list of one ormore feeds that require updating, a routine may be executed to updatethe locally stored feed formatted content. The update procedure may beexecuted within the automatic feed update program or may execute anexternal individual feed update program, for example a web service orthe like. In one embodiment, the web service may be an asynchronous webservice. Updating feed formatted content may be performed in a varietyof ways. For example, the feed formatted content may be copied in wholeor in part from its source and stored locally. In one embodiment, thefeed formatted content may be converted into one or more standardizedformats. For example feed formatted content may be collected fromsources in atom format and RSS format, and these are converted into onestandardized format, for example RSS. Conversion may include, forexample, placing data in the content element of an atom feed, into thedescription element of an RSS feed. In one embodiment, if the individualfeed update program fails, the number of failed updates count for thefeed may be incremented. In one embodiment, the update may bereattempted either immediately, or after a set period. In oneembodiment, after a certain number of failed updates, the waiting periodbefore the next attempted update may increase. In one embodiment, aftera number of failed updates, the feed status may be updated to a failedupdate status. The feed update program may not select feeds with afailed update status. A failed update status may alert users and/oradministrators of the system.

In one embodiment, a feed formatted content aggregation server maydecompose feed formatted content into a database. FIG. 22 illustrates aflowchart representative of one embodiment of a method for aggregatingfeed formatted content at 2200. Selection input is received at a serverat 2202. A local cache at the server is updated at 2204. The local cacheis decomposed at 2206. For example, the database may include storage fora local cache of the feed formatted content in its entirety, as well asindividual rows for each feed item within a feed. An individual feedupdate program may decompose the feed formatted content into theindividual rows on receipt of the feed. Alternatively, the individualfeed update program may update the composed local cache of the feedformatted content. In one embodiment, when the individual feed updateprogram completes an update successfully, the last updated date for thefeed may be updated. In one embodiment, when the last updated date isupdated, the next update date may also be updated, for example based onthe update frequency. For example, the feed update program may executeat 12:35 pm on a particular day. The feed update program selects a feedwith a next update date of 12:31 pm, and an update frequency of 2 hours.The feed update program executes the individual feed update program forthe feed. If the individual feed update program succeeds at 12:36 pm,the last updated date may be set to 12:36 pm, the next update date maybe set to 2:36 pm. In one embodiment, a successful update also may setthe number of failed updates back to zero, and may also set the feedstatus to active or updating correctly.

As stated, in one embodiment, the individual feed update program updatesthe local store of feed formatted content but not decompose the feedformatted content. In one embodiment, a feed formatted contentdecomposition program may perform this action independent of the updateprocess. A feed formatted content decomposition program may decomposeindividual feeds, a group of feeds, or all the feeds in the database.

In one embodiment, the individual feed update program may be executedbased on other processes. For example, if a user of the system selectsto view a feed, the system may check the last updated date associatedwith the feed. Based on the last updated date, the system may call theindividual feed update program. A user selecting to view a feed may beperformed by the system selecting the locally stored feed formattedcontent. By way of another example, a feed formatted content aggregationserver may provide one or more methods, for example a web service, toallow external feed sources to signal that they have posted new feedformatted content. Based on the signal, the individual feed updateprogram may be executed for that feed.

FIG. 23 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for aggregating feed formatted content at 2300. A user list isprovided at a server at 2302. At least one of the users is associatedwith a feed formatted content source at 2304. A list of feed formattedcontent sources may have been provided, and the association may be madewith one of the sources from that list. A selection input may bereceived from one of the users at 2306. For example a user may requestto view a feed. Based on this selection input, a local cache is updatedat 2308 with the retrieved current version of the feed formattedcontent. The locally cached content is selectively decomposed based onthe association between the user and the feed formatted content source.If a user is associated with the feed formatted content source, thelocal cache is decomposed at 2310. If a user is not associated with thefeed formatted content source, the local cache is not decomposed at2312.

In one embodiment, a feed formatted content aggregation server maydetermine the update frequency for a feed based on a variety of factors.For example, a feed specified update frequency may be specified withinthe feed formatted content, and that may be used to determine the updatefrequency for the system. By way of another example, the number of userssubscribed to a feed may determine the update frequency. A historicalview of feed formatted content updates for the feed may be used todetermine the update frequency. For example, a feed that has had twothousand feed items in the last month may be assumed to update morefrequently than a feed with only thirty feed items in the last month. Byway of another example, a comic feed may update once a day at a certaintime, and this may be determined from the historical view of feedformatted content updates for that feed. The system may set updates forthat feed based on the historical time that updates occur.

In one embodiment, a feed formatted content aggregation server may serveas a standardizing, content cleansing, or intermediary server. FIG. 24illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of a method forproviding feed formatted content at 2400. The feed formatted contentaggregation server receives feed formatted content at 2402. The feedformatted content may be standardized at 2404. The standardized feedformatted content may be stored either in whole, decomposed, or both atthe feed formatted content aggregation server at 2406. A custom formatrequest may be received at the feed formatted content aggregation serverat 2408. The feed formatted content aggregation server may then convertthe cached content at 2410 into the custom format. The feed formattedcontent aggregation server may then supply the feed formatted content inthe custom format at 2412. The custom format may be supplied with therequest, may be stored in association with the requestor, or an argumentmay be supplied indicating what custom format is being requested. Forexample, a cell phone company may provide a feed formatted content-basedcellular delivery system. The cellular delivery system may require acustom feed formatted content schema. In one embodiment, the customformat may be an XML schema. The cell phone company may provide an XMLschema definition (XSD) describing the required schema. Alternativelythe cell phone company may provide an XML transformation (XSLT)describing the required transformation. The XSD or XSLT may be providedwith the custom format content request, or it may be associated with thecell phone company for some or all requests from the cell phone company.

One embodiment of the present invention includes an Independent AccessPortal (IAP). An IAP may include one or more of the functions of feedformatted content aggregation, management, and/or display. An IAP mayincorporate, internally or externally, a variety of services such as,for example, social networking functions. An IAP may perform processesand methods such as feed aggregation, unique feed provision, as well asothers included in this application. An IAP may include, produce, or usemarkers to allow enhanced feed provision, such as those that have beenand will be described. In one embodiment, the IAP may be software at theuser node 220, software at an OCP or ACP, or a combination of the two.The IAP may include one or more web based interfaces. These interfacesmay be standard web pages, or combinations of web content and software.The term IAP may refer to any of these, and the term IAP server may beused to designate software or interfaces not held at user node 220, butone skilled in the art should understand that various aspects of theprogramming may be transferred between nodes and not depart from thespirit of the invention.

FIG. 25 illustrates a schematic diagram of a system including an IAPcontrol server at 2500. In one embodiment, the IAP control server 2510may have access to a variety of data including feed database 2520,subscription database 2530, affiliate feed database 2540, user database2550, and social network database 2560. Databases 2520-2560 may beseparate databases, two or more may be maintained in the same database,they may be hosted on one or more servers, and any other databaseconfiguration as known in the art. One or more of the databases may, inone embodiment, be maintained by a company or service other than theIAP. For example, the social network database maintained by Friendster,Inc. may be employed to perform functions described as proper to socialnetwork database 2560. The Friendster database may be accessed remotely,be cached locally, or the like. Other databases and services may beprovided via network 210 by service provider node 280.

The role of subscription database 2530 may include maintaining recordsof subscriptions to feed formatted content. The records may recordanonymous aggregate subscription information, may record subscriptionsassociated with users, or a combination of the two. In one embodiment,the users associated with the subscriptions have profiles maintained inuser database 2550. Subscription database 2530 may also maintain recordsof feed formatted content access as well as recommendations or ratingsassociated with feed formatted content. Alternatively, records of feedformatted content access as well as recommendations or ratingsassociated with the feed formatted content may be held within userdatabase 2550.

A link to subscribe to feed formatted content may be associated with anIAP. Clicking on the link may signal to the IAP server that the user atuser node 220 should be indexed to the specified feed formatted content.If the IAP server does not recognize an IAP installation at user node220 the user may be presented with a registration option, installationoption, or the installation may automatically begin. In one embodiment,when installation and/or registration are complete, the user is indexedto the specified feed.

Content and user information held at the IAP server may be accessed at awebsite. The IAP server may include standard content and feed formattedcontent recommendations for users that may, in one embodiment, be basedon a characteristic profiled response database. If the access request tothe IAP website is made by clicking on an advertisement, the IAP websitemay employ the single or double confirmation targeting informationassociated with the advertisement to customize the website for thatparticular access request, and if a cookie is employed it may also beused for future access requests. For example, a certain feed might beparticularly relevant to users in Chicago. If the IAP ran advertisementson a site, such as Yahoo® that were targeted to Chicago, this targetingmay be based on user profile information. There is single confirmationthat users clicking through from this advertisement are in Chicago. IfIP-to-geography translation also indicates that the user is in Chicago,this constitutes double confirmation. The IAP may suggest orautomatically display the feed particularly relevant to users in Chicagobased on the single or double confirmation targeting information.

In one embodiment, the IAP may provide several methods for feedsubscription. A user may use an interface to select from a list of feedsknown by the IAP. A user may enter feed location information, forexample a URI, into a form that is submitted to the IAP. A feed enabledsection of a web site may be one bounded by tags. A user can click onand/or outline and/or highlight a feed enabled section of a targetwebsite and drag the mouse to the user's desktop IAP. Alternatively, auser may right-click on a feed enabled section of a target website andselect an option to subscribe to the feed. In one embodiment, responsiveto the drag or right-click action the selected feed is indexed to theuser in subscription database 1430 and a feed is established between thetarget website and the IAP server. The user can then access theinformation through its connection between the user's IAP and the IAPserver.

In addition to direct user subscriptions, extra feeds may be establishedand indexed to a user or group of users by the IAP server. FIG. 26illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of a method forproviding and populating a user feed at 2600. A client provides atrigger event at 2602. The server receives the trigger event and createsat least one user feed based on the trigger event at 2604. In oneembodiment, the server may also populate the user feed based on thetrigger event at 2606. For example, one or more feeds may be establishedand indexed to a user when they register with the IAP, such as apersonal calendar items feed, a personal favorite sites feed, or apersonal message feed. Alternatively, the feed may be created the firsttime an item of the corresponding type is to be associated with theuser. The feed may also be created by user request, or by some othertrigger.

In one embodiment, a personal calendar items feed associated with aspecific user is created. Event items may be added to the personalcalendar items feed by selecting to add feed formatted content fromanother feed to the personal calendar items feed. A link or button toadd feed formatted content to the personal calendar items feed may beprovided on the IAP. Alternatively, event items may be created by usersthrough an online or software interface, by email parsing, via a callcenter, or the like, and these items may then be indexed to the personalcalendar items feed of the user or a group of users. In one embodiment,users may be indexed to other users and the user profiles associatedwith those users. Dates associated with these users such as birthdays,anniversaries, graduations, or the like, may be indexed to the personalcalendar items feed. The personal calendar items feed may be created foruse exclusively by the IAP, or it may be accessed by other feedaggregation and display tools.

In one embodiment, a personal favorite sites feed is created andavailable for the user to add favorite site items to. Favorite siteitems may be created by users through an online or software interface,by email parsing, via a call center, or the like and these items maythen be indexed to the personal favorite sites feed of a user or groupof users. Alternatively, the IAP may index a user's favorites list fromtheir browser with a personal favorite sites feed. The IAP may alsoindex the home page of a user's browser to a personal favorite sitesfeed. In one embodiment, the IAP may monitor one or more users' browsingactivity, and items may be inserted into a personal favorite sites feedbased on this browsing activity. Such interactions with the browser mayrequire the user to download a browser plug-in. For example, a plug-inmay select the sites on a users favorites list, and execute an insertstatement for each site in the favorites list. FIG. 27 illustrates aflowchart representative of one embodiment of a method for managingserver-based bookmarks at 2700. A feed subscription request is receivedat 2702. Titles associated with the feed subscription request and/orother feed subscriptions are provided at 2704. A bookmark creationrequest is received at 2706. Based on the bookmark creation request, aserver-based bookmark is created at 2708.

In one embodiment, a personal message feed is created and available as amethod to send feed formatted content directly to the user. Personalmessage items may be created by users through an online or softwareinterface, by email parsing, via a call center, or the like and theseitems may then be indexed to the personal message feed of a user orgroup of users. In one embodiment, a user may forward an email accountto, set messages to be copied from, or receive email directly at anemail address that parses email and places it in a personal messagefeed. In one embodiment, the entire message is translated into feedformatted content. Alternatively, only the subject of the email or someother portion is translated into feed formatted content. Personalmessage items may also be sent to a user via the IAP. For example, auser may forward a feed item to another user by clicking on a forward toa friend button or link on the IAP. The user may then specify someidentifier for a friend user's personal message feed, for example byselecting the identifier from a list. The IAP may then associate thefeed item with the friend's personal message feed.

In one embodiment, the IAP may provide end users with the ability tohost their own feed formatted content. For example, space may beprovided on the IAP server for users to host feed formatted content.Alternatively, the IAP client side software may include a serversoftware portion that enables a user device to host feed formattedcontent. Using software such as the Dynamic DNS system commerciallyavailable by No-IP.com, a user device may be associated with a standarddomain name even where the user device has a dynamically assigned IPaddress. In one embodiment, server software provided with, orindependently from, the IAP may be used in conjunction with other IAPservices and features to allow a user to host feed formatted contentfrom the user device, including serving information stored at the userdevice, at the IAP server, at a third party server, or some combinationthereof.

In one embodiment, an IAP may provide one or more methods fortransferring feed subscriptions, and/or other user associated data. FIG.28 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of a methodfor managing feed formatted content at 2800. A user provides userenvironment information at 2802. A server records at least a portion ofthe received user environment information at 2804. The user provides auser environment information export request at 2806. The server providesat least a portion of the recorded user environment information in feedformat at 2808. For example, a user may download a file, for example inoutline processor markup language (OPML), including certain userenvironment information held by the IAP such as feed subscriptions, feedrankings, social network information, event markers, feed buckets, andthe like. This file may be used to transfer subscription information toother feed formatted content aggregation and display programs. As analternative, one or more feeds may be provided holding user information,and the URI of this feed may be entered into another formatted contentaggregation and display program to pass subscription information.

In one embodiment, an IAP user may set a preference for advance eventnotification. This preference setting may be specific to each feed, ormay be set to some definable subset of events listed within one or morefeeds. For example, a user may select to receive notification the day ofevents from a feed regarding bar and restaurant specials. The same usermay, for example, elect to receive notification two weeks prior toconcert events supplied in a different feed. Alternatively, the usermay, for example, select to receive two-week prior notification forconcerts at certain venues, but only one-week prior for other venues. Inthis manner, a user can set notification preference for any event withboth time and geographic location.

In one embodiment, an IAP is always running when a web browser or an IAPprogram is open. Alternatively, the IAP may run as a background process,on at all times the computer is running. The user may interact with thisbackground process through an interface.

In one embodiment, the user receives an incentive to operate the IAP.For example, the incentive may comprise the award of points,accumulation of points, award of consideration, or an honorific, allherein to be referred to collectively as points. Points may be directlyawarded for a predetermined action or may accumulate in response to aspan of time that the IAP is operable. Predetermined actions mayinclude, for example, clicking on an advertisement, sending an email,filling out a profile, responding to a survey, providing a review,referring a friend, accessing feed formatted content, accessing linkswithin feed formatted content or other content, accessing links referredto within feed formatted content or other content, winning a contest,and the like. Regarding the award of points for a span of time, the usermay, for example, collect a point for a designated time period, such asfive minutes, that the IAP is running. In one embodiment, the IAPrequires a user to login in order to correctly associate a user withtheir IAP account.

In one embodiment, the IAP software may record whether a web site thatis the IAP or is associated with the IAP is set as a user's homepage.Points may be awarded for maintaining a certain homepage.

The IAP may incorporate methods of attracting users such as awardingpoints for recommending the service to friends. In one embodiment, therecommending user may receive some portion of the points earned by therecommended user during at least a period of time the recommended useruses the IAP.

In one embodiment, providing additional profile information may alsoaccumulate points. Additional profile information may also acceleratethe rate points accumulate for leaving the IAP running.

In one embodiment, the IAP includes opportunities for games, raffles,gambling or other types of contests. IAP points may be required forentry into these contests. In one embodiment, prizes may consist of acoupon for a product or service, perhaps a local one such as pizza, andmay include a valid time of day or other time limitation. Alternatively,winners may receive IAP points. In one embodiment, interactions withsuch opportunities, and the points awarded may be stored in thecharacteristic profiled response database.

Often times when advertisers are running promotions they want as manyredemptions as possible to allow them to, for example, move merchandiseor introduce a new product. In one embodiment, IAP users may beassociated through user social database 1460. A user may designate anassociation with one or more other IAP users in some manner such as, forexample, upon sign up as part of profile information, automatically whenone user's IAP is merged with another user's IAP, or by a direct requestsent to the IAP server, which then links the associated parties withinthe IAP database. These associations allow the promotional eventsincluding games, for example, poker tournaments, fantasy footballleagues, and the like to include play between multiple users. Forexample, players from one team of associated IAPs can play a game andall would get 20 percent off a pizza and the winner get a month's supplyof Pizza. In one embodiment, promotions can be established so that IAPteams can play against one another and the winner would get a specialdiscount over the other team. In one example, team trivia contests canreward the whole team with discounts if one IAP user of the team getsthe answer. Promotional games can be run on short notice to increasebusiness during slow periods. For example, guessing a spread at halftime of a football game to win the promotion.

In one embodiment, the IAP provides the user with constantly updatinginformation, provided for example from feed formatted content, refreshedon a regular basis—for example, once every one or five minutes. Thisinformation may include sports scores, weather reports, newsinformation, horoscopes, stock quotes, inspirational quotes, or thelike. In one embodiment, the information also includes advertisements.The advertisements may be associated with the feed formatted content orindependent of it, and may be displayed with the feed formatted contentor independent of it. In one embodiment, the IAP brings itself to thefront of the desktop, known as gaining focus, over other programs, eachtime the information refreshes. In one embodiment, the IAP does thisonly when certain types of information are refreshed or displayed, forexample an advertisement may cause the IAP to gain focus, or an updatedscore for a certain sports team may cause the IAP to gain focus. In oneembodiment, the user may specify which refreshed content may cause theIAP to gain focus.

In one embodiment, any ads displayed on an IAP are independent of accessrequests by the user, with content information and ads refreshing onregular intervals. These ads allow a variety of targeting methods, and aquick method to reach end users is attained. Independent refreshrequests from various communications devices and associated profiles maybe recorded and a current audience determined based upon these refreshrequests.

In one embodiment, some information related to user location or schedulemay be stored in the IAP database. For example, school schedules may beentered into the IAP database for college students in order toappropriately target certain schedule specific information, such asgraduation deals.

Advertisements displayed over the IAP may be designed specifically to berun over the IAP, may be templates, or another type of advertisement.Template ads may relate to a category of advertisers, such asrestaurants, politicians, or grocery stores.

In one embodiment, the IAP will periodically or continually check foruser activity input, such as mouse or keyboard activity to determine thepresence of a user. FIG. 29 illustrates a flowchart representative ofone embodiment of a method for providing real time advertising at 2900.A user provides user activity input at 2902. User activity input may bereceived from a plurality of users. A server determines at least onereal time user based on the user activity input at 2904. The real timeuser may also provide a feed formatted ad based on the determination at2904. Requests for advertising may be based on profile information,cookie information, multiple confirmation targeting, or other targetingmethods described herein independently or in conjunction with eachother, as well as other methods of targeting as may occur to one skilledin the art. The user activity input may be used to determine a currentactive audience for the IAP. Active users within a geographic locationmay also be determined. In one embodiment, the IAP determines a date orseasonal period and provides the feed formatted ad based on thatdetermination. The IAP may also base the ad provision on weathercondition determination, some other conditional publishing rule, or thelike. In one embodiment, the IAP notifies potential advertisers of thecurrent audience or current active audience. For example, if a largenumber of IAP users are active on their IAP, the IAP may notify a movietheater of the opportunity to advertise an R-rated movie that is goingto begin showing in a few hours. Advertisers may also request currentaudience or current active audience information via a website, commandcenter, or various other methods. Advertisers may require informationregarding subset audiences. For example, the IAP may provide the movietheater with only active audience numbers for users within a certain zipcodes surrounding the theater or perhaps also narrow by providingnumbers of users also known to be over 18.

In one embodiment, an IAP may be associated with advertising node 150.Information collected by or activity performed by an IAP may contributeto profile information used in advertisement selection for advertisingnode 150. In one embodiment, the IAP may be associated with a ThirdParty Ad Server (TPAS). In one embodiment, the TPAS may be a feedformatted content publisher. The IAP may provide an interface for usersto view and edit information collected about that user. Further, the IAPmay track the ads displayed to the user and allow for feedback by theuser. The user can receive points for providing feedback on theadvertisements delivered over the IAP or over other sites by the TPAS.

In one embodiment, the IAP may provide coupons in conjunction with orindependent of advertisements. For example, an advertiser may include apage with a coupon as the click through destination of an advertisement.Alternatively, a coupon marker may be included in feed formattedcontent. The IAP may selectively display a coupon availability link orimage based on the coupon marker.

In one embodiment, feed formatted content may be collected orcategorized in a level above feeds. A collection of feeds may beassociated with a feed bucket. A feed bucket may be represented in atable of feed database 2520. In one embodiment, the user created feedbucket may include a title, and may also include a description. A feedbucket may also be associated with other feed buckets. In oneembodiment, a feed bucket may only have one parent feed bucket.Alternatively, a feed bucket may have multiple parent feed buckets. Inone embodiment, a feed bucket with multiple parent feed buckets may alsohave one primary parent feed bucket. For example, feed buckets may beused to categorize feeds into a tree-style directory. Top levelcategories such as “news”, “sports”, and “entertainment” may not haveparent feed buckets. Feed buckets “magazines” and “newspapers” mayspecify “news” as their parent feed bucket in the feed bucket table.Alternatively, a feed-bucket-to-feed-bucket table may store the parentfeed bucket relationships. A relationship in thefeed-bucket-to-feed-bucket table may also store a relationshipspecifying “sports magazines” as having “sports” as a parent feedbucket, and another relationship specifying “sports magazines” as having“magazines” as a parent feed bucket.

In one embodiment, subscription database 2530 may allow a user tosubscribe to a feed bucket. Subscription database 2530 may store anassociation between a user and a feed bucket. Alternatively,subscription database 2530 may store an association between a user andthe feeds within a feed bucket.

In one embodiment, users may create feed buckets. A user may categorizefeed subscriptions into feed buckets they have created. In oneembodiment, the title and/or description assigned by one or more usersmay be used by the IAP to provide feed categorization.

Feed formatted content may be singular in source or aggregated. Forexample, two restaurants may maintain feeds singular to theirestablishments. An aggregate channel of restaurant feeds may combinethese two feeds to provide an aggregated restaurants feed. Any number offeeds or selected feed items from feeds may be combined to produce anaggregate feed. In one embodiment, a feed item incorporated within anaggregate feed may include an original source marker identifying itssingular original source. When the feed formatted content from theaggregate feed is displayed at user node 220, a link to the singularoriginal source or some means of subscribing or unsubscribing the userto or from the singular original feed, such as a button or link, may beprovided. In this manner, if the user enjoys information from onesingular original source in an aggregate feed, but wishes to unsubscribefrom the aggregate feed, an easy method of subscribing to the singularoriginal source has been provided. Alternatively, if the user wishes tomaintain a subscription to the aggregate feed, but unsubscribe from onesingular original source, an easy method of unsubscribing from thesingular original source has been provided. In one embodiment, anaggregate feed is the feeds and feed items within a feed bucket.

In one embodiment, publishing node 240 may partner with a chamber ofcommerce, young professionals network, newspaper, manufacturersassociation, or some other entity that maintains relationships withmultiple potential content sources. A chamber of commerce may, forexample, provide a feed, feed bucket, or group of feed buckets on itswebsite, maintained by publishing node 240 acting as an OCP. Chambermembers may indicate in their membership application or renewal formsthat they wish to have feed formatted content published in the chamberfeed. The chamber may collect a fee from the member for this privilegeand may pass some of this fee to publishing node 240. Chamber membersmay then either supply content for the chamber feed via an onlineinterface, via email, via fax, or by phone to publishing node 240directly or via the chamber. In one embodiment, a chamber member calls arepresentative at publishing node 240 to request that a sale at theirestablishment be advertised by feed formatted content in the chamberfeed. The representative then enters the information for publishing tothe chamber feed. In one embodiment, the representative may thenrecommend additional feeds that the information may be published in. Inone embodiment, an advertiser may already have a feed and may pay forinclusion of their feed within the aggregate chamber feed. Advertisersmay call to request that information be published without knowing whatfeed they wish to be placed in. In one embodiment, feed recommendationmay be based on one or more of the specific advertiser, the advertiser'sindustry, the location of the advertiser, the specific information thatis to be published, the date or dates relevant to information. In thismanner, information may be published as feed formatted content.

FIG. 30 illustrates a flowchart representative of a process forassociating affiliate feed formatted content at 3000. First, the systemdetermines whether a user is a new affiliate at 3002. In one embodiment,for example, IAP control server 2510 maintains affiliate feedinformation in affiliate feed database 2540. Affiliate feed database2540 may include such information as affiliate profiles, logininformation, relationships between affiliates and the like. An affiliatemay be any individual, business, government, organization, or the likethat signs up in affiliate feed database 2540. An affiliate wishing touse the affiliate feed system may sign up via a website, for example. Atthe affiliate feed system website the affiliate may be presented withthe question whether they are a new affiliate or not. If a user is a newaffiliate, the affiliate creates an affiliate account at 3004. In oneembodiment, for example, the affiliate account may be recorded inaffiliate feed database 2540. If the user is an existing affiliate, theaffiliate logs in to the affiliate management interface at 3006. Once anaffiliate has logged in to the affiliate management interface of hascreated an account, the affiliate may then input feed associationinformation at 3008 via the affiliate management interface. Feedassociation information may include feeds owned, managed, or publishedby the affiliate, feeds the affiliate wishes to have included within oneor more of their own feeds, specification that they wish to allow otheraffiliates to include their feed formatted content in the otheraffiliate's feed or feeds, and the like. The affiliate managementinterface serves to facilitate feed aggregation and association. Basedon the input feed association information, the server determines whetherto create or update an affiliate feed group at 3110. Feed formattedcontent is then provided based on the affiliate feed group at 3112. Inone embodiment, the provided content combines content from a pluralityof affiliates. A user factor may determine a user affiliaterelationship. Based on this relationship, a user may be subscribed to anaffiliate feed group. A user factor may be, for example, a usersubscribing to a lead affiliate feed, subscribing to a non-leadaffiliate feed, demographics, signing up with a service, or the like.

In one embodiment, for example, an affiliate may be a company such asCondeNet, Inc., producer of GQ.com, the online version of magazineGentleman's Quarterly (GQ). GQ may manage one or more feeds such as a GQlifestyle feed, and a GQ articles feed. GQ, and by GQ a representativeof GQ may be included, may wish to include the GQ articles feed in theGQ lifestyle feed. Via the affiliate interface the URL for both feedsmay be specified, and new IAP based URLs for the feeds may be generated.GQ may then specify that the GQ articles feed be included in the GQlifestyle feed. In one embodiment, after this specification accessingthe IAP generated lifestyle feed will then result in a combined feed ofboth the feed items in the lifestyle feed as well as those in thearticles feed. In this feed relationship, the lifestyle feed is said tobe the lead affiliate feed. In an alternative embodiment, when a user ofthe IAP selects this feed, they may be automatically subscribed to bothfeeds. GQ may also wish to have other feeds included with one of thesefeeds. For example, Cigar Aficionado may pay an affiliation fee to GQ tohave one of its feeds included in the GQ lifestyle feed. GQ may specifythat this Cigar Aficionado feed be associated with the lifestyle feed.Again, feed items from this feed may be automatically included withinthe lifestyle feed, or the users may automatically be subscribed to thisfeed. When an affiliate associates a feed with one they manage, theaffiliate who does the associating is a lead affiliate, their feed isthe lead affiliate feed, and the affiliate managing the feed that isassociated is a subordinate affiliate, and their feed is the subordinateaffiliate feed.

In one embodiment, an affiliate may designate a type of association withanother affiliate feed or their own feed. For example, the feeds may becombined into an aggregate feed. Alternatively, the associated feeds maybe listed as recommended subscriptions for users of the IAP.Alternatively, the associated feeds may be subscribed to for a userbased on one or more factors, including: an associated feed group, usersubscription to one of the feeds in an associated feed group, usersubscription to a lead affiliate feed, user selection of a branded IAPinterface. In one embodiment, an affiliate may specify an affiliate feedassociation command to affect any of these associations. Any of thesecommands may be given through the affiliate feed management interface.In one embodiment, an affiliate may specify a filter on an affiliatefeed they wish to associate with. For example, Major League Baseball asan affiliate may wish to include a weather feed from an affiliate, butmay filter it based on only accepting feed items on game days. A varietyof filters may be specified such as date, keyword, author, and the like.

By way of another example, a popular site such as ESPN.com may wish toassociate a feed with their feed, such as one provided by sports appareland equipment provider, Fogdog Sports. In one embodiment, Fogdog may payESPN to associate the Fogdog feed with the ESPN feed. The relationshipmay be facilitated, and statistics regarding the relationship andfinancial details recorded and displayed via the affiliate interface.When a user subscribes to the ESPN feed, the Fogdog feed may beincorporated with the ESPN feed. Alternatively, an interface may beprovided for the user whereby subscribing to the ESPN feed displays arecommendation of the Fogdog feed. In another embodiment, ESPN mayprovide a branded version of the IAP, and when a user installs,registers for, or uses the ESPN branded IAP, the subscription to theFogdog feed may be made by default, recommended to the user, or againmay be included in the ESPN feed as it is delivered to the IAP. FIG. 31illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of a method forproviding feed formatted content at 3100. A user interface is requestedat 3102. A sponsor branded interface is indexed at 3104 to the userrequesting the interface. Sponsor associated feed formatted content isprovided at 3106, for example based on an affiliate feed group. Sponsorassociated feed formatted content may include at least one leadaffiliate feed; it may also comprise at least one associated affiliatefeed. The user interface request may be received at an aggregator site,at a sponsor site, or at some other site. User characteristics ordemographics may be determined based on the interface request, and theprovided feed formatted content may be based on the usercharacteristics. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the feedformatted content may comprise an ad or promotional information, andrevenue may be associated with displaying such content. A portion of therevenue may be provided to a sponsor, for example one associated withthe sponsor branded user interface. In one embodiment, subscriptioninformation associated with the user may be provided to a sponsor, forexample a sponsor associated with the interface used by the user.

Continuing the ESPN example, the interface may provide ESPN with theability to group together multiple ESPN feeds along with the ability toadd other non-ESPN feeds to the group. A user may subscribe to thisaggregate feed. In one embodiment, the user may supply user preferenceinput regarding the feeds or feed items they wish to receive. Forexample, a user may specify portions of the aggregate feed, as in one ormore of the feeds that make up the aggregate feed, that they do not wishto receive. Subscription to an aggregate feed may be associated with theuser as a single subscription, or as all the individual subscriptions tothe feeds within the aggregate feed. Specifying not to receive one ofthe feeds within the aggregate feed may be accomplished by recording anegative subscription to one of the underlying feeds, or the user may beunsubscribed from that feed if each of the underlying feed subscriptionsis maintained separately, or the aggregate feed subscription may beremoved and all the underlying feeds may be subscribed to except the oneor ones specified by the user.

FIG. 32 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing a branded feed formatted content aggregatorinterface at 3200. An ad placement is received at 3202. The ad placementmay include payment, and may be received via an advertiser interface. Auser interface request is received at 3204. An aggregator associatedwith a sponsor is indexed to a user at 3206 based on the request. Thereceived ad placements are provided as feed formatted content at 3208.At least a portion of the revenue is provided to the sponsor at 3210.

FIG. 33 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing feed formatted content at 3300. An aggregate feedis provided at 3302. A subscription request is received from a user at3304. The user is indexed to the aggregate feed at 3306 based on thesubscription request. The user is provided with feed formatted contentbased on the indexing at 3308. In one embodiment, one or more additionalfeeds may be indexed to the aggregate feed at a time subsequent to usersubscription to the aggregate feed. A user may be provided with feedformatted content from the additional feed based on the aggregate feedsubscription. In one embodiment, the user may be subscribed to the feedswithin the aggregate feed. A user may provide a feed unsubscriberequest, and based on this request a user to feed index may be removed.In one embodiment, the user to aggregate feed indexing may be removedbased on the feed unsubscribe request.

In one embodiment, the IAP may assist in tracking the source of feedtraffic. For example, when a feed item from a subordinate affiliate isserved, it may be recorded that that feed item was served by the leadaffiliate as opposed to from the subordinate affiliate's own feed. Inone embodiment, a feed may be reformatted to record click throughs onincluded links. For example, a link may include a querystring thatspecifies the lead affiliate. Alternatively, a link that passes backthrough the IAP server may be used to allow it to record the traffic. Inthis manner, further tracking regarding whether traffic is due to itemsbeing served from it's original subordinate feed or from an associatedlead feed may be provided.

In one embodiment, one or more feeds may have a charitable donationassociated with user subscription and viewing of feed formatted content.For example, a chamber of commerce may have a feed that advertises forits members. It may be indicated to those who subscribe to the feed thatfor every certain number of feed items viewed a donation of a certainamount is made to the chamber of commerce. As another example, a localrestaurant near a university may make a donation to a student runcharity organization or event based on a certain number of feed itemsviewed, a number of feed item links clicked, a number of userregistrations, or a number of redeemed offers. Alternatively a donationmay be made based on the selection of a sponsor's skin, or the selectionof a skin in combination with a period of time the skin is in place.

In one embodiment, the IAP icons on various websites may vary inappearance based upon whether the user is known to have an existing IAPaccount. In one embodiment, this determination can be made by checkingfor an IAP cookie that is deposited on the IAP user access device in anoperation associated with the IAP. For example, when a user is viewingBasketball headlines on ESPN and is not known to be an IAP user, the IAPicon may include a message such as “Keep track of basketball scores evenwhen you're not at ESPN.” If the user is a known IAP user, the IAP iconmay include a message such as “Add basketball scores to your IAP.”Alternatively, the icon may not contain text, but may be an imagerecognizable as associated with the IAP.

Alternative to this distributed method of finding IAP content, users maycheck certain categories of interest on the IAP to choose what contentis displayed. This may be done on a page managed by the IAP thataggregates all IAP channel options. IAP channel selection and categoryselection can be used to determine user characteristics and establishadditional user profile.

A variety of interfaces may be provided to interact with the IAP. Forexample an IAP interface may be a standard website. The IAP may be acombination of website and software, or may be exclusively software.FIG. 34 illustrates a schematic diagram of one embodiment of an IAP at3400. The sample screen includes elements such as a start bar 3402,icons representing open programs 3404, icons for starting programs 3406in the system tray, and a browser displaying a web page 3408. Thebrowser includes a standard menu 3410, navigation elements 3412, and atoolbar IAP 3414. In one embodiment, toolbar IAP 3414 is provided tosupply additional information, questions, and/or content 3422 to theuser. In one embodiment, toolbar IAP 3414 includes a field for the userto enter search terms 3416 and allows the user to submit the search3418. In one embodiment, toolbar IAP 3414 includes a score 3420,associated with points collected by one or more users of the toolbar.While the toolbar IAP in this diagram is displayed at the top of thepage, the toolbar IAP may be displayed on the side of the browser suchas services provided by SideStep, or the included history and favoritessidebars provided with Internet Explorer.

FIG. 35 illustrates a schematic diagram of one embodiment of an IAP at3500. On this screen, standalone IAP 3504 is displayed. In oneembodiment, standalone IAP 3504 is set to a fixed size, smaller than thedesktop, allowing portions of the desktop 3502, or other programsrunning behind standalone IAP 3504, to show. In one embodiment,standalone IAP 3504 is a web browser capable of displaying web content.Alternatively, standalone IAP 3504 may be a desktop program, or somecombination of desktop program and web browser.

In one embodiment, the IAP is a combination desktop software andwebsite. Software is installed at user node 220 that includes anapplication, for example in deskbar style. For example, FIG. 36illustrates a schematic diagram of one embodiment of an IAP at 3600. Onthis screen deskbar IAP 3602 is displayed. Deskbar IAP 3602 may be acombination of desktop program and web browser—such as the deskbar madeavailable by Google—that combines programmatic capabilities in additionto browsing. Deskbar IAP 3602 may contain all of the menu, search, andother items described with the other IAP embodiments, or it may consistof only some of these, such as info, questions, and/or content 3422 andnavigation elements 3412. Deskbar IAP 3602 may be accessed by clickingon a deskbar icon 3604 that may be within the system tray or outside ofit. When an icon on the startbar of the user desktop is clicked, abrowser window expands open. The browser window may display, among otherthings, feed formatted content. Where enhanced feed customization,personalization or display is discussed as proper to the IAP, it shouldbe understood that this may be achieved through additions to existingfeed aggregation and display solutions. The content received in thebrowser may interact with the deskbar application. For example, thebrowser in the deskbar application may be set to make an HTTP request ata certain time interval. This request may be based on a refresh tag inthe HTML, based on a request prompted by a timer in the deskbarapplication, or the like. When new content is received in the browser, acustomized header tag or some other type of awaken marker may beincluded in the HTML, XML, or other HTTP response. The deskbarapplication may scan the new content response for the awaken marker, andif it is present the IAP may automatically expand the browser windowopen. In one embodiment, a similar header tag or some other type ofdisplay icon marker may be scanned for by the desktop application and aspecific icon may be displayed on the startbar based on the display iconmarker. Alternatively, the display icon marker may cause an icon torotate, flash, or change in some other way. Information regardingdeskbar behavior may be requested independently, either synchronously orasynchronously, of the browser requests.

In one embodiment, interaction with the IAP may be conducted through aninstant messenger bot, a cell phone or other web-connected device, orthrough email. For example, a query to an instant messenger bot mightrespond with a users current score. The bot may respond based upon thescreenname issuing the request, based upon the message sent or acombination of the two. Using email as an example means of interaction,an email to a particular email account may result in a reply emailcontaining a link that indicates a user's IAP settings, allowing them toshare their preferences by forwarding the email. Alternatively, an emailmay be sent to the user based on some IAP trigger, such as the receptionof feed formatted content that contains a particular set of keywords, orcame from a particular source. For example, a user can access his IAPvia a cell phone with a display screen, or via an automated responsesystem that the user dials into, and request lunch specials. Based onthe user profile, which may include both where the user works and lives,the IAP server determines lunch specials for the location and sendsavailable listings from the IAP server to the cell phone. Alternatively,the user's location may be dynamically established based upon a mobilelocation service such as is available through Microsoft's MapPoint suiteof programs. In one embodiment, the user can read off the coupon numbersto the restaurant to get his discount. In one embodiment, the couponwill include a bar code, which can be read through the phone into a barcode scanner to receive a discount. In one embodiment, the bar code maybe included in feed formatted content as a bar code marker. FIG. 37illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of a method forproviding real time advertising at 3700. A user node provides userlocation information at 3702. User location information is received at3704 at a server. The server determines a coupon based on the userlocation information at 3706 including a bar code marker. The user nodereceives the bar code marker and the bar code is displayed based on thebar code marker at 3708. The bar code marker may include a link to a barcode image, or a code to generate a bar code. For example, a bar codemarker may include numerical information that may be translated into abar code. A program on the cell phone of the user may convert thereceived numerical information into a bar code display. This displayedbar code may be scanned, for example, at a standard checkout desk.Location information may be determined by GPS, signal triangulation,user profile information, any other method known in the art, or acombination of these methods, for example providing double confirmationtargeting.

In one embodiment, the IAP may be minimized or may, when minimized,disappear off the Windows desktop startbar and be restored by an icon inthe system tray. The IAP may be capable of restoring itself. Forexample, a time sensitive ad or message might prompt the IAP to bringitself into focus.

In one embodiment, an IAP can be dedicated to one or more types ofcontent. In one embodiment, an IAP can be dedicated to a singlefunction, for example, weather information for the users geographiclocation. Other IAPs can be dedicated to different functions, forexample, sports scores. A user of the Weather IAP can also be a user ofthe Sports IAP. Upon refresh of the two IAPs a determination is madethat the refresh requests are from the same communication device. Basedon this determination, in one embodiment a combined Sports and WeatherIAP is delivered and the single function IAPs are deleted.Alternatively, one of the IAPs may expand to combine both Sports andWeather while the absorbed IAP is deleted. This will allow a user tobuild a custom IAP based on desired information. Custom IAP settings andpreferences of different users can be shared or a first user may add acustom IAP of a second user to the first users IAP. In one embodiment,the second user may email or instant message a link to his IAP or IAPsettings and preferences. In one embodiment, once the first user viewsthe custom IAP of the second user a timing trigger can be set at the IAPserver. The timer can, for example, be based on a number of timedrefresh requests or any other time delay to allow the first user to viewit for a period before the second user IAP is combined with the firstuser IAP. In one embodiment, the second user must actively select tocombine the first user's IAP with their IAP. In another embodiment, eachinformation source, or example a feed, of an IAP can have an add ordelete symbol or icon to allow a user to add or delete functions he nolonger desires. For example, by clicking a delete icon next to a Weatherfunction, the IAP would send a delete request to the server to deletethe Weather function. In one embodiment, a history of IAP changes andpreference profiles are maintained. A user may be allowed to select aprevious IAP state, providing a rollback feature on IAP settings.

For example, the IAP may maintain multiple potential methods ofcommunication with a user. The IAP may communicate with a user via anIAP webpage, a deskbar or other desktop application, email, by phoneusing voice, SMS or WAP, or any other method of communication known inthe art. The user may specify by what method of delivery they wish toreceive feed formatted content. For example, a user may select to viewYahoo News on their main IAP homepage, but not on the deskbar, and theymay wish to receive Best of Craigs List posts on their deskbar, but noton their main IAP homepage. Alerts for events the user may wish to havedelivered to their deskbar. In one embodiment, if confirmation is notgiven indicating that a message has been received, a new method ofcommunication may be attempted. For example, with regards to an eventalert sent to the deskbar, if the user does not click on a button orotherwise acknowledge receipt of the reminder, the event reminder may besent as a text message to the user's phone. An interface may be providedto allow users to customize the delivery behavior of feed formattedcontent. The IAP may also determine what method of delivery should beused based on one or more factors, including: time sensitivity ofmessage content, source of message, available delivery channels,previous response information from this and other users, and the like.

One embodiment of the present invention provides for a single itemwindow, as shown in FIG. 38. The single item window includes thecapabilities described for the IAP. For example, the single item windowmay be used to display feed formatted content to the user. The singleitem window may display a single information item, such as a feed item,to the user, thus forcing attention on a single piece of information. Asingle item may be, in one embodiment, a title element from a feed item.For example, an RSS feed may hold article titles, descriptions, andlinks to the full article. The single item window may display thearticle title and provide a link to the full article. Alternatively, asale or promotion may be available in feed format including a shortdescription of the sale or promotion as a title, and also include a linkto more detail. For example, a local food and entertainment feed can becompiled from promotional information from various restaurants, bars,movie theaters, etc. The single item window may display this title orshort promotional message and include a link to the additional detail.In one embodiment, hovering over the item may display some or all of thearticle or additional detail information.

In one embodiment, in order to move to another item, the user mustinteract with the single item window, providing a decision regarding thedisplayed item. The decision may be, for example, to click on a link orbutton in the single item window to view additional informationregarding the displayed item. The additional information may bedisplayed in the single item window, or it may be displayed separately,for example in a standard browser window. Alternatively, the decisionmay be a rating of the item. For example, the user may be required toprovide a rating of one through ten of the item, and on rating the item,the next item is displayed. The rating may be in the form of atwo-option approval/disapproval. The decision may also be to clickthrough to the next available item. In one embodiment, the user may beprovided with the option to provide a rating prior to selecting to clickthrough to the next available item.

In one embodiment, the single item window may be provided in the form ofa deskbar, as shown in FIG. 38. A deskbar in a computer application thatinstalls at least one button on the start bar or dock of a computer, andclicking on the at least one button displays a window. In oneembodiment, the window displayed is a browser window. The browser windowmay be configured to open to a particular starting page or program, thisstarting page or program may be stored on the local machine, or may beremote.

In one embodiment, the browser window may open a remote web page thatincludes an object such as a flash file. The flash file may act as thesingle item window or presentation vehicle for IAP information. Theflash file may issue requests for information to display. The requestmay be to a single provider of information, alternatively it may be frommultiple sources. For example, the flash file may request feed formattedcontent.

In one embodiment, the browser window may open a local program, forexample a flash file that may in turn request feed formatted content.The local program may display the content itself, or may load a remoteprogram, such as a second flash file, that may display the content.Several results may be achieved by this multiple tiered structure. Alocal program may allow additional interaction with the local machine,for example access to reading and writing local files. A local programmay also directly request remote content, potentially removing cachingissues for requests that would have been made through the browser.Loading a local file will generally lead to a faster initial display tothe user. Also, providing the local program with the ability to load aremote file allows updates to the display program without requiring theuser to update the local program.

The single item window may, in one embodiment, display items in aspecifiable order. The order may be specified by the program or by theuser. For example, the user may select to view items from a particularsource in groups, such as six items from a British BroadcastingCorporation (BBC) source, and four items from a Wall Street Journal(WSJ) source. Alternatively, the user or program may group items bytopic or order, or may spread items of similar source or topic out.

In one embodiment, after an item has been displayed in the single itemwindow, a user may find it in a recorded history of items viewed. Theuser may also select to add an item to a saved items list that may beviewed separately from the history of items viewed. In one embodiment, acopy of any content linked to the item may be cached on the user'scomputer or at the IAP server. Caching may take place for all items, ormay be done selectively based, for example, on items having been placedin a user's saved items list.

In one embodiment, the single item window may include one or moreinterface items to allow the user to filter, order, or otherwise adjustwhat items are displayed. For example, the particular feed sources auser is subscribed to may be displayed on the single item window in atabbed or drop-down selection style, as known in the art. Alternatively,the options presented to the user may categorize one or more of thefeeds, as shown in FIG. 39 c. In one embodiment, the single item windowmay only display options that have items currently available to theuser. Alternatively, options that have items currently available to theuser may be presented differently to the user, for example highlighted,underlined, or the like. The user may, for example, select to see sportsinformation. Based on the user selection, the items displayed to theuser may be exclusively of the category or feed selected, or it mayprioritize the sports items stronger. In one embodiment, a default orderoption, tab, or drop box selection may be provided to provide the itemsin a default order. This order may be random, based on a prioritizationspecified by the program, user or both, or any other ordering method asknown in the art. When a user selects a tab, drop-down, or the like, theparticular selection may cause the items displayed in the single itemwindow to be of that selection for a certain number of items, until allitems of that feed or category are displayed, or for a certain period oftime. When there are no more items of that particular feed or category,or when the certain number of items has been displayed, or when theperiod of time has passed, the single item window may return to adefault order. In one embodiment, an item may be displayed when theordering is returning to default that indicates this change.

In one embodiment, the user may recommend feed formatted content, forexample individual feed items, on the interface. For example, arecommend element may be provided in the interface, as shown in FIG. 39a.

In one embodiment, the user may provide rankings of feed formattedcontent, for example individual feed items, on the interface. Forexample, a two choice good or bad, or thumbs up thumbs down ratingoption may be supplied, as shown in FIG. 39 b. Alternatively, multiplerating options, may be provided, such as the scale of seven options, asshown in FIG. 39 c.

In one embodiment, the interface may include a calendar launch button,image or link, as shown in FIG. 39 c.

In one embodiment, the tabbed, drop-down, or other selection options mayinclude one or more titles or categories of one or more feeds defined bythe user. For example, a user may define a category called “work feeds”and one called “home feeds”. The user may be presented with these asselection options on the single item window and by selecting one or theother, determine or prioritize the feed sources displayed in the window.

When an item is viewed in the single item window, or when the userselects to view the next item, it may be recorded locally, at a server,or in both places that the item has been viewed. In one embodiment, theorder in which items are displayed to the user may be determined on aremote server. Alternatively, a program on the user's computer may orderthe items, for example a local flash file, or one displayed in a browserwindow. The single item window may pull them down from the serverindividually or several at a time. An item queue may be maintained onthe local machine, ordered locally or at the server. If the ordering ismanaged on the server, an item already held in the local queue may bedownloaded in duplicate if it has not yet been viewed. The single itemwindow may include a queue of viewed items. This queue of viewed itemsmay serve to allow the user to review previously viewed items as well asprovide a local record of viewed items that any queued items receivedfrom the server may be checked against. Items received from the servermay also be checked against items waiting in the queue and whatever itemis currently being displayed. In this manner, the single item window mayprevent the user from viewing an item repeatedly. In one embodiment, thesingle item window may manage ordering of items based on ordering orprioritization rules stored locally or pulled from a server.

In one embodiment, the single item window or a configuration interfacethereof may provide the user with the opportunity to select in whatmanner item transition is handled. For example, the user may select tohave the items scroll automatically, and may select the frequency of thescrolling.

One type of information that may be displayed in the single item windowis information related to fantasy sports. FIG. 40 illustrates aflowchart representative of one embodiment of a method for providingfeed formatted content at 4000. Fantasy league and team data is storedat 4002. New fantasy information is received at 4004. For example, aserver may receive feed formatted content representing fantasyinformation. A determination is then made whether the received fantasyinformation is related to the league and team date. If the informationis related, feed formatted content is provided at 4406. For example, auser may receive updates on the statistics of players they havespecified, player injuries, players not currently held in their leaguethat are having impressive statistics, scouting reports for weeklymatchups, or the like. In one embodiment, a fantasy sports informationfeed may be provided for each player in a sport. Alternatively, the feedmay include information in feed items indicating what play theinformation may be associated with.

In one embodiment, feed formatted content may facilitate fantasy leagueplay. FIG. 41 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodimentof a method for operating a real time fantasy sports league at 4100. Auser provides a fantasy team player list at 4102. A server creates feedformatted content based on real time statistics and on the fantasy teamplayer list and provides the feed formatted content to the user at 4104.The user provides a substitution request at 4106. The server receivesthe substitution request, determines a time associated with thesubstitution, and modifies the feed formatted content based on thesubstitution request and the determined time at 4108. For example,statistics and feed formatted content may be provided and tallied to auser based on their specified team. A user may note that a player hasbeen injured, or that it is halftime in a game, and may substitute in analternate player at that time. The provided and tallied statistics mayrepresent the team with the substitute starting at the time thesubstitution is submitted.

In one embodiment, feed items may include one or more video, audio, oraudio/video clips or links to one or more video, audio, or audio/videoclips. Such a feed may be read to a computer, a cellphone, an internetconnected digital video recorder (DVR), or the like. In one embodiment,a DVR or other device may aggregate clips into a highlight reel ofimportant fantasy sports plays, for example for a user's active playersin a league. FIG. 42 illustrates a flowchart representative of oneembodiment of a method for operating a real time fantasy sports leagueat 4200. A user provides a fantasy team player list at 4202. A serverreceives a plurality of fantasy team players, receives a list of videoclips, creates feed formatted content based on the video clips and theplayers, and provides the feed formatted content at 4204. The userprovides a request for a video clip based on the provided feed formattedcontent at 4206. The server may receive the request for a video clip andprovide access to the video clip at 4208. In this way a user may requesteither an individual highlight video clip of a fantasy player, or, inone embodiment, the user may request all video clips associated with oneor more of their players. When more than one video clip is selected, aplaylist may be provided. In one embodiment, the playlist may includeone or more accompanying audio clips, for example selected by the user,to play in conjunction with the playlist. Commentary, audio, video orwritten may also be included in the feed formatted content. For example,an opponent may make supply a heckling comment to accompany a play inwhich one a user's key player is injured.

In one embodiment, feed items in queue may have some or all informationassociated or linked to from them cached at the user's machine. Thequeue may serve as a starting point for a local spidering or indexingprogram that pulls down the content. In one embodiment, any associatedpages or content may be downloaded by a local program running in abrowser, for example a flash file. Content may be loaded into aninvisible iframe or if the program has access to the local hard drive itmay be stored there.

One embodiment of the present invention provides a method for creatingfeed formatted content from a mobile device. A phone number or emailaddress may be designated that allow text messages or emails to bereceived by a program that converts the received content into feedformat. For example, a user may have a personal feed associated with anaccount, and may be given an email address that allows posting to thatpersonal feed. In one embodiment, only content received from designatedsources—be they specific email addresses, cell phone numbers, or thelike—may be allowed to post to the personal feed. These may bedesignated by the user. In one embodiment, when an email, text message,or the like, is received at the email address provided to the user, thebody of the email may be parsed out as the description portion of an RSSfeed, the subject may be parsed out as the title, and the sent date asthe publication date. In addition or alternative to personal feeds, afeed on a specific subject may be created. Again, only certain emailaddresses, cell phone numbers, or the like may be allowed to post to thefeed, or it may be generally accessible. In this manner, one or morepersons may report on a subject from a remote location and have theinformation accessible to anyone subscribed to the feed. For example, astreet team might be assembled to report on how the patrons andatmosphere of a bar appear on any given night. Alternatively, peopleattending a concert may be able to make comments about the show duringthe event.

One embodiment of the present invention provides a browser toolbar thatallows a user to create a feed item from a visited page. When the useris on a page, they may click a button on the toolbar that passes the URLof the current page to either a local program, or a remote program—suchas a dynamic web page, ASP.NET for example—that may convert that pageinto a feed item for a particular feed. For example, a user may click a“favorites” button, that adds a page to a personal favorites feed. Theuser may be allowed to create any number of feeds that pages may beplaced in. For example, a user may be doing research on a particularacademic subject and wish to make any found information available toanyone interested in the subject. In one embodiment, one or more feedsmay be available for which multiple users may provide pages. Individualusers may be granted permission to add pages to the feed, or it may begenerally accessible. For example, a commonly accessible “funny stuff”feed may be made generally accessible to users. When a user finds a webpage they find qualifies as “funny stuff,” they may hit a button ontheir toolbar to include the URL and title of the page they are on tothe “funny stuff” feed.

In one embodiment, a page converted to feed formatted content may bepassed as a recommended feed item. The recommendation may be a generalpublic recommendation, or the recommendation may be addressed tospecific persons, for example one or more users that the user whocreated the feed item holds relationships with in a friends network.

In one embodiment, a single item window may be used as an academic tool.For example, a group of feeds may be provided a teacher that students ina class are assigned to subscribe to. Additionally, a posting board maybe provided for commentary or questions. Each item added to the postingboard may be available in feed format and students subscribed to theclass posting board feed would be updated on that item. One or morefeeds may also be provided for class announcements, such as testschedules, field trips, changes in assignments, or the like.

One embodiment of the present invention provides for combining a jobposting and searching site with a friends network. A user may post aresume, specify job skills, and other job search criteria. Employers maysearch for users with certain criteria and then determine, based on thefriends network, whether they or one of their employees is somehowconnected to a job candidate. For example, a company may be looking forsomeone to fill a role in the marketing department. Using standardmethods, the employer may search for job applicants based on resumeand/or application information. The list of returned applicants mayinclude any relationship connections between the recruiting user and anyof the job candidates. Additionally or alternatively, the list ofapplicants may include any relationship connections between an employeeof the recruiting company and the applicants. The search may be limitedto include only those applicants who are within a certain number ofconnections of the recruiter or another company employee. A similarprocess may be used by a job seeker, in that they may view a list ofemployees at a potential job provider to see what relationshipconnections they may already have with individuals at that company. Inone embodiment, a search criteria for job applicants, or by a jobapplicant, may be provided in feed format, for example RSS. Therecruiter or applicant may subscribe to such a feed to receive updatesas new jobs or applicants that meet their criteria are posted to thesystem.

In one embodiment, a friends network may be combined with a sellerinformation system, such as, for example, that provided by Ebay. Forexample, a seller profile page may include, in addition to feedbackratings and comments, a description of any relationship connectionsbetween a user and a seller. Additionally, any connections between auser and a previous buyer from a seller may also be provided.

In one embodiment, a single item window may display the birthdays ofusers connected by a friends network. The single item window may alsodisplay other calendar events.

In one embodiment, one or more feeds may be associated with a geographicarea. For example, a database may maintain a list of feeds and zipcodes, and associations between feeds and zip codes. When a userindicates presence or interest in a certain area, feeds associated withthat area may be recommended to the user or automatically subscribed to.

In one embodiment, certain categories of feeds may be provided to auser, for example local news. Appropriate local news feeds may bedetermined based on geographic association, such as the method describedabove. In one embodiment, exclusivity may be granted to a feed providerfor a given area. For example, The Freeport Press, may be a local paperfor a certain area. When a user signs up and indicates they live withinthe area of exclusivity for The Freeport Press, the local news categorymay be exclusively granted to The Freeport Press.

In one embodiment, a user of a single item window, or a group of usersin a friends network may designate a charity that a portion of revenueassociated with their accounts may be donated to. For example, a portionof any advertising revenue from advertisements displayed to the user, aswell as portions of any affiliate program purchases, paid subscriptions,or the like may be donated to a charity. For example, some feedformatted content, or the information linked to from feed formattedcontent, may be provided only on a paid subscription basis. By way ofspecific example, the Wall Street Journal charges a monthly subscriptionto articles on its site. For a user to view the article they must paythe subscription. In one embodiment, the Wall Street Journal may allow aportion of the subscription payment to go to the provider of the singleitem window if a user signs up for the paid subscription at the singleitem window configuration interface, or may pay a portion for any userthat accesses articles via the single item interface. The portion of theincome may, like other income sources, have a portion allocated to acharity.

In one embodiment, starting configurations for the single item windowand IAP, and/or continuing recommendations and content may be based onaffinity groups. For example, users may indicate interest in suchaffinity groups as entertainers such as Josh Grobman, or Destiny'sChild, or for sports teams such as the Philadelphia Eagles, or ChicagoBulls, or to schools such as Northwestern University, or Glenbard WestHigh School, or to disease groups such as breast cancer, AIDS, or thelike. Customized skins, feed categories, quick links, recommendations,and the like may be provided based on any selected affinity group.

In one embodiment, a social network may include the ability for a userto designate groups to connect or associate users. FIG. 43 illustrates aflowchart representative of one embodiment of a method for providingfeed formatted content at 4300. A group formation request is received at4302. A group subscription request is received from a first user at4304. The first user is indexed to the group based on the receivedsubscription request at 4306. A second user provides a groupsubscription request at 4308. The second user is indexed to the groupbased on the received subscription request at 4310. A characteristicprofiled response database is provided at 4312. Feed formatted contentis supplied to the second user based on response data from the firstuser and the group subscriptions at 4314. For example, a user maycollect members of an organization, classmates, or their children, intonamed groups. Using the example of the children, a parent may havecontrol over the feed subscription capabilities of the children, or maysubscribe to feeds themselves that they associate with one or morechildren. For example, a parent may subscribe to feeds for sports teams,school events, church schedules, friend's birthdays, or the like onbehalf of their children or for themselves in association with the oneor more children. In this manner, the parent may view the schedules andevents associated with their children as made available through suchfeeds. The feed information may be displayed in calendar format aspreviously disclosed.

In one embodiment, the single item window may display survey or pollingquestions. The ability to respond to the survey may be presented in thesingle item window, or the link provided in the single item window maylead to a survey or poll page. In one embodiment, the results of asurvey or poll may influence the recommended or delivered content to thesingle item window. Influence of the recommendations or deliveredcontent may be directly related to the question, for example “would youprefer to receive CNN information instead of BBC information,” or it maybe based on more subtle or gleaned preferences such as “do you consideryourself republican or democrat” influencing whether a more liberal orconservative new source is recommended, or it may be related to the feedsubscription and delivery preferences found in people who answered thesurvey similarly.

One embodiment of the present invention provides a call center forreceiving updates to feed formatted content associated with a set ofclients. For example, an online yellow page style directory equippedwith feeds associated with the listings may have such a call center.When a client calls to add, change or update their feed the call centermay request an account number, user name, secret password, or the liketo confirm the identity of the caller or their authority to make thechange requested. In one embodiment, the call center may also verify theorigin of the phone call as one of an accepted set before or in additionto requiring the identity confirmation. In one embodiment, the callcenter may record the audio placement of the change request andassociate the recording with the change request for liability purposes.

In one embodiment, the IAP can include a legend or key that includesvarious view item categories. The view item categories may include, forexample, world news, technology news, business news, entertainment news,friend messages, business messages, local lunch deals, localentertainment news, fantasy sports reports, stock information, calendarday items, and any other category. Some or all of the view items shownin the legend can be pre-selected by the user or preloaded by the IAP.The legend may be constructed in all or part based on one or more of thefollowing: user profile, branded IAP profile, or user preference. Theuser or IAP can select the number of information items displayed in theIAP view window at any time. The user can select a view item categoryfrom the legend and responsive to the selection, the information itemscorresponding to the selected category will be presented based on thedisplay item preference.

For example, if a user selects technology news, which had a three at atime item display preference, the IAP would provide three business newsinformation items at a time to appear in the IAP view window. The usermay then click through the business news items three at a time until allbusiness news items were displayed. The user may then, for example,select calendar day items, which may have a variable display itempreference to accommodate various calendar items for any given day, TheIAP view window can expand and contract based on the selection. Thenumber of items display preference can also be pre-set or adjusted forhandheld wireless devices, telematics units in mobile vehicles, home andbusiness computers, television display, and the like.

In one embodiment, for example, the IAP may be set up for a businessgroup, where a the group members or group leader can override number ofitems display preference for priority information items. There may alsobe provided a preload override for priority items, wherein regardless ofthe view item category selected by a group member, the priority messageor messages will be displayed. The view window can also be automaticallyexpanded to accommodate a length of a priority message. In addition, areturn receipt or confirmation can be required for priority or othermessages.

In one embodiment, a feed provision and aggregation system may beemployed by organizations to coordinate activities and informationdissemination. For example, a political candidate, governmentorganization or party may employ such a system. One or more feeds may beprovided and made selectively or generally available for such functionsand subjects as: campaign or organization fundraising events, campaignor organization appearances, articles and news relating to anorganization or campaign, articles and news of interest to thoseinterested in an organization or campaign, blogs maintained by membersof a campaign or organization, or the like.

One important way to find out about new job openings is throughreferrals or friends that are aware of openings. In one embodiment,friends could post job openings to friends and distribute via the IAPthrough the friend network of the friend that posts the job opening.

In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 38, the IAP or single item windowallows only a single information item. That single information item mayinclude, for example a title to an article, an introduction to apromotion, a subject matter of a message, a short message, a shortpromotion. The single information item focuses a user's attention to onearea of the box and requires the user to read the information item todetermine if he wants to click to the next information item or click toopen the information item or make another IAP function selection. IAPfunction selections may include, forwarding to a friend, storing in afolder, adding to a feed, rating or recommending, or providingcommentary.

In one embodiment, the IAP would in addition to pulling titles ofcontent to be displayed in the IAP window, the content itself can bedownloaded and stored at the computer so that when the article titlesare clicked on the saved web page is displayed. In one embodiment, theIAP may sense usage and download any further articles. The IAP may alsodelete articles based on usage conditions, such as, when the user hasclicked a certain number of titles or when a user has opened an articleand then closed it out. In one embodiment, the IAP can download weather,sports scores and statistics, fantasy points and other content that mayor may not be displayed via the IAP window, for example based onpreferences supplied by the user.

In one embodiment, the downloaded articles can be searched using keywords input by the user. The search can delete articles and titles to bedisplayed that do not contain the key words. For example, a user mayselect ESPN football news as a feed, and then input key words including“Dallas” and “Cowboys.” The user computer can search the text of thedownloaded web page for these key words and delete all articles andtitles not containing the keywords. This process would take place in thebackground, so that when a user accesses the IAP the article titles,which corresponding articles included the key words, are all that aredisplayed at the IAP.

In one embodiment, the single item window includes one or more displayadvertisements, either as the item, in addition to the item, or in placeof the item. The single item window will constantly check for mouse orkeyboard movement to determine the presence of a user and then requesttargeted advertising from the server based on a user profile, a geocookie, a double confirmation geo cookie, and/or a geo click throughcookie. In one embodiment, the single item window includes localentertainment. For example, restaurants and bars in a given city orgeographic region would have template items stored in a database thatcould be modified upon a call to a call center or by some othernotification method including fax and email, instant messaging and thelike. Once a user is detected as present at a computer, a check forgeographic information related to the user would be made and a requestfor a time sensitive ad would be made to the ad server. If a timesensitive directive was received at the call center from Joe's bar, theJoe's bar ad would be pulled and appropriate language in accordance withthe directive would be inserted in the ad and displayed in the singleitem window. For example, an ad at Joe's Bar may be delivered to a user“Come on in drinks are half off.” The ad may not be served if there isadditional profile information about he user that would not becompatible with the advertiser. Alternatively or in addition, a bannerad could be served to a web page sent to the user's computer based onthe same criteria.

In one embodiment, the IAP includes an information provider interfacethat allows providers of feed items the ability to select placement oftheir items within one or more feeds. In one embodiment the providerinterface allows users to select from one or more priority factors,including for example, frequency of occurrence within a feed, frequencyduring a particular time or season, position of the feed item within thefeed (for example: first, last, etc.), priority of positioning adjacentcomplimentary feeds (for example: restaurant item presented before orafter movie item), priority based on demographic (for example: presentedfirst to single females between 18-24 years old), priority based ongeographic location, priority based on profile factors (for example:age, sex, address, etc.), priority based on survey data, priority basedon time of day and/or date, priority based on season or holiday period,priority based on feed subject matter (for example: home improvementfeed, food and entertainment feed, etc.) and other priorityclassifications. In one embodiment, priority can be based on whether anitem is clicked on. For example, if a golf club item is clicked on, aprovider could select that the next item viewed through the single itemviewer would be a golf ball item. Priority selection may also beprovided for displacing two or more items together in a feed itemwindow. For example, a provider of a camera item can select tosimultaneously display a second camera accessory item in the IAP window.The interface can allow providers to select other items providers, whichit will agree to jointly appear with within an IAP display window.

In one embodiment, feed item providers can have pre-established businessrelationships formed via the IAP relationship system. For example, agroup of three companies can establish an agreed upon discountedentertainment package via the IAP relationship network which mayinclude, for example, an early dinner at a restaurant, followed by amovie, followed by a desert at an ice cream shop. Such an entertainmentpackage may be advertised or otherwise distributed via the IAP, forexample in coupon format. The interface may provide this group to haveits own entity placement via the information provider interface withpayment percentages being pulled from each of the three providers paypalor other account. This allows the group entity to bid higher forparticular priority factors. In addition, a specific time and date forthe entertainment package can be loaded in the feed item, which may bepulled and loaded into a IAP user's feed calendar. Othercross-promotional packages and business relationships may be establishedvia the IAP, such as one between a window washer and a horticulturalservice company. Again they may split the cost of advertising via theIAP and present a cross-promotional offering and deal.

The relationship network of businesses may be managed in a similarmanner to the previously described relationship network. Businesses maysearch for other businesses based on name, area of business, location,and other characteristics. When a company is found, a cooperativerelationship may be requested. If this relationship is agreed upon, aset of interaction tools, such as that described above for allowingcross-promotional advertising, may be presented.

In one embodiment, the IAP is sized to fit titles of articles or otherinformation in a small screen area. This design can then also be used inPDA's, cell phones and other handheld devices, as well as beingdisplayed on a section of a monitor used for television. In oneembodiment, the message can be formatted to allow a user to scrollthrough the information line by line. The tiles and messages can also bescrolled at a set rate and repeated a set number of times. Televisionprogramming can be paused when a title is clicked upon. In oneembodiment, a user or feed manager can select information titles fordisplay at the IAP based on their relation to the television or radioprogramming. For example, a user may select that all Fantasy Footballplayers on his team and/or opponents team with yardage, touchdowns andFantasy points be displayed every 5 minutes or scrolled through whilethe user is watching TV or as a message to the users portablecommunication device on Sundays. Friends' messages related to thefootball or other game can be prioritized for display when the user iswatching TV on game day.

In one embodiment, the IAP allows the user to designate a portion ofproceeds from advertising revenue to selected causes includingcharities, political parties, candidates, associations, clubs, or anyfor any other purpose. The advertising revenue may include, for example,direct advertising revenue from skins, or ads on the IAP network ofsites, shared revenue from book or product recommendations on Amazon,Ebay or other site, shared revenue from Google, Overture, or othersearch sites for adwords, etc. The IAP user may form friend networks andachieve revenue goals for charity or other purposes and display therevenue totals in feed format during a designated period. The revenuecan be calculated for each individual user or group and displayed at theIAP window, web site, calendar, etc.

In one embodiment of the IAP the display window is a small box thatholds, for example, three lines of text to allow titles to be displayed.A button can be provided to click through the titles without user inputat a set rate that can be adjusted by the user. Other buttons can beprovided to allow a user to select a class or type of information to bedisplayed in the IAP window. For example, if the user selects the sportsbutton, the sports news will be queued up to be displayed in the IAPwindow. The user may also, for example, select calendar alerts to be fedinto the IAP window on the appropriate day from the calendar event feed.The selected calendar alerts can also be directed to the IAP windows ofall associated members in a friend network. For example, a BaseballCoach can reschedule an event on his calendar, which can then beinserted into the baseball team feed and loaded into the players IAPcalendars as well as sending an alert to the IAP windows of the teammembers.

In one embodiment, a related story button can be pressed at the IAP anda background search for other related stories can be found and cued upfor display for viewing through the IAP window.

In one embodiment, the single item window may provide a search interfacefor online shopping for products and services. For example, an interfacemay be provided to search for airline tickets. A single informationsource such as American Airlines or Expedia may be used, or anaggregation service such as SideStep. In one embodiment, a user may savesearch criteria and receive price updates based on the search criteria.

In one embodiment, the IAP may provide an interface that includes theability to search for companies by company name, stock ticker, or thelike. In one embodiment the results of the search may include optionsfor the user to select stock price, press release, related article,analyst commentary, corporate earnings statements, and other companyinformation feeds. Information feeds may also be presented forassociated companies, or links to pages or lists displaying the feedsfor the associated companies, for example competitors within a field ofbusiness or complementary companies. Some feeds may be customizable,such as setting the price points, price changes, dollar value,percentage, or the like, or volatility that triggers whether an item isincluded or not.

In one embodiment, a search interface for a product may return a varietyof results. For example, searching for a coffee maker may return a listof coffee makers. A coffee maker may have additional informationavailable such as comments or recommendation information postedregarding the item, in one embodiment these comments or recommendationsmay be displayed based on a social network database. In one embodiment,a promotional code may be returned for purchases of products made onparticular web sites. For example, if a user was shopping for a coffeemaker in a standard browser window, and during the checkout process waspresented with the opportunity to enter a promotional code, the optionsfor searching for such a code include: leaving the page, finding thecode, then returning to that page all within the same browser window; oropening a new browser window to search for the code, then returning tothe browser window to enter the found code. The deskbar single itemwindow allows the user to keep the full size browser window open and onthe purchasing page, and then allows the user to search for a product orweb site promotional code while maintaining visibility on the full sizebrowser window. In one embodiment, if a product does not have anycomments or recommendations associated with it, the user may post a linkto the product as a feed item, requesting comments or recommendations ingeneral, or forwarding the feed item specifically to users within theirfriend network.

In one embodiment, users may associate themselves with life groups. Alife group may be a company or organization, nationality, or a lifepoint such as recent college graduate, pregnancy, disease sufferer, orany other group representative of an affiliation with others users.Communication via the IAP or single item window may be directed towardgroup members. For example, a woman during her first pregnancy mayexperience a variety of physical and emotional incidents and wish to askquestions of others experiencing the same. In the same vein, a widevariety of purchases are associated with pregnancy, from maternityclothes purchasing to vitamin supplements and baby products. The IAP mayprovide a channel, feed, or set of feeds to allow members of a pregnancygroup to recommend URLs of available products, or to communicateregarding experiences.

In one embodiment, users may enter, edit, or provide controllingassociation over other user accounts. For example a parent or employermay exercise control over feed subscriptions for children or employees.

A user profile in the IAP may include one or more feeds of informationassociated with a user, such as a wish list. Users may use a toolbar,provide direct entry, or the like of pages or products that they wish toappear in their wish list feed. A message item indicating a userbirthday to another user who has a friend relationship may include alink to a wish list feed. Alternatively, a button or link may beprovided to take a user to a page of recommended presents for a personof the age, sex, or other set of characteristics. For example, some toysites provide the opportunity to enter an age and sex and receive a listof recommended presents. A link may take a user from a child's profileto the exact list of presents for the age and sex combination of thechild's profile. Address, and other pertinent shipping or deliveryinstructions and information may also be passed to the retail site.

In one embodiment, a user may select specific interests within acategory to receive updates. For example, a user may customize a bestsellers or recently published list of books to only receive messagesregarding a specific list of authors. Actors, directors, genres, or thelike may be specified for a similar feed for movies.

In one embodiment, music recommendations may be provided to users viathe IAP or single item window based on new releases of bands or artistsor new projects for members of bands the user has entered interest in.Recommendations may also be made based on other user profiles, the userprofiles used for recommendation may be limited to a certain breadthwithin the friend network.

In one embodiment, a link or button may be provided on the IAP or singleitem window to provide the user with peripheral information regarding anitem. For example, peripheral information could include user or otherthird party commentary on the source or subject of the item, mapinformation, similar items, general information, bonus or benefitinformation, or the like. For example, a feed item regarding collegerecruitment at a specific college could include a link to a collegerating service. By way of another example, a restaurant special couldinclude a link to rewards network miles per dollar information for therestaurant.

In one embodiment, sellers of products may supply feed formattedinventory lists. The inventory lists may be associated with locations. Auser may search the IAP for a product and receive a list of localsellers of the product. The list of local sellers may include theinventory information supplied by the sellers, along with any pricing,special, or sale information.

In one embodiment, a user may associate one or more locations with theiruser profile. Feeds in a feed database may include associations withlocations. A user may be presented with certain feeds associated withthe locations in their profile during signup, further configurations, oras subscription recommendations on the IAP or single item window.

In one embodiment, a user may be associated with attributes. Anattribute may be based on profile information, feed subscriptions, feedinteraction, survey information, or the like. For example, a user mayadd an attribute to their profile indicating that they attended acertain college, and another attribute indicating that they are a fan ofQuentin Tarantino movies. A profile or attribute list may be presentedto the user where one or more of the attributes provides a link throughto a list of top-rated feeds or feed items for users with the sameattribute. In one embodiment, the top-rated feeds or feed items mayexclude those already viewed or subscribed to the user. Additionally,advertisers may queue in on one or more attributes. For example, CigarAficionado may have determined a correlation between those who play orare interested in golf, and their product. Cigar Aficionado may selectto send messages to a user with an attribute such as having answered asurvey indicating the user enjoys golf, or to a user with an attributesuch as having subscribed to a Golf Digest feed. Advertisers may selectto advertise to those who exhibit multiple attributes, for example onewho has subscribed to Golf Digest and also makes over a certain salary.

In one embodiment, specials, sales, or coupons may be provided to a uservia the IAP or single item window with a recommendation requirement. Arecommendation requirement may be, for example, that the user mustforward the item to a certain number of friends. The IAP may record thenumber of recommendations or item forwards, and issue an item with acoupon or promotional code when the recommendation requirement isreached.

In one embodiment, the IAP or single item window may include quicklinks.A quicklink is a link to a web page available to the user from one ormore IAP or single item window. Quicklinks may be configured by theuser. A user may choose to set the IAP as their homepage, and the pagebeing replaced as a homepage may be automatically set as a quicklink.Quicklinks may also be recommended and permanently or temporarily setfor a user. Quicklink recommendations may be made based on therecommendation methods and processes described for feed formattedcontent recommendations described herein. For example, a survey questionmay be presented to a user of the single item window asking whether theyintend to take a spring vacation. Based on the survey response, the IAPmay add one or more quicklinks to travel and vacation sites. Suchrecommended quicklinks may be temporary in nature, permanent, or theuser may be presented with the option to remove or make permanent arecommendation.

In one embodiment, a fantasy sports feed can be continuously adjustedbased on user selected or IAP suggested or provided factors, forexample, for fantasy football some factors may include: player versusdefense strength, player versus opponent time of possession, player'shistorical performance against opponent team, players performance atstadium, weather conditions, opponents players, player's recentperformance, injury reports, etc. The user may select factors for theplayer selection feed, which then based on the factors selects the bestteam from the users fantasy team and all other available players. Forexample, during a football season Sunday, a fantasy player may beinjured; the feed will provide a replacement player based on theselected or provided factors. The feed may make the selection for theuser or alert the user with a feed item alert.

In one embodiment, a user may select a plurality of custom feed systems.For example, ESPN may offer a bundled feed system with articles andcontent geared to its target audience. The IAP reader associated withthe ESPN bundled feed system can be customized by adjusting number ofinformation items per view window display. The IAP may also allowcustomization through key word queue preference and content preference.

One embodiment of the present invention provides a configurationinterface for the IAP or feed sources for a single item window or otherfeed formatted content display interface.

FIG. 44 illustrates a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a singlepage multi-source configuration interface (SPMSCI) at 4400. SPMSCI mayinclude a directory link 4410 that displays available category links4420 to the user. Clicking on directory link 4410 displays all availablecategory links 4420. Clicking on a category link 4420 may displaysubcategory links 4430, or feeds 4440 from that category. Clicking onsubcategory link 4430 may display further subcategory links 4430 belowthe first subcategory, or feeds 4440. Clicking on or hovering over feed4440 may cause feed items 4480 to be displayed. The feed 4440 mayinclude an option to select a feed for subscription. A feed 4440 thathas been selected for subscription may display configuration optionssuch as a display configuration option 4460 that may be used to rank orprioritize the feed, to determine how many items should show in a row ina single item window, or some other display configuration. Feed 4440 mayalso include a configuration option in the form of a keyword option 4470that allows the user to specify key word requirements for the content ina feed item for it to be delivered to them. In one embodiment, suchconfiguration options, or other portions of the SPMSCI may becollapsible by way of clicking or hovering over display control 4450.

All feed and feed item loading, interface display and hiding, andconfiguration updating may be performed without refreshing the SPMSCI bydeveloping the SPMSCI in a technology such as Flash or java that allowsbackground connections to data sources without requiring visibleroundtrips to a server for each information update.

In one embodiment, the user may elect to provide their own categoriesfor subscribed feeds. The user may then be presented with links, icons,buttons, or the like on a display interface to select the bundle offeeds represented by their assigned categories or by the user createdcategories.

In one embodiment, an attribute may indicate affinity to a certainactor, singer, or other celebrity. A sales pitch may be delivered inaudio format to a user based on such an attribute including a portion ofthe pitch done by the performer.

In one embodiment, the SPMSCI may accept two basic data formats fordisplay in the row of directory link 2510 and the area of feed items2580. The row of directory link 2510 displays a list of categories andfeeds for subscription. The Outline Processor Markup Language (OPML)specification provides a standardized method for presenting just suchinformation. By pulling the information for display into the SPMSCIusing OPML, the SPMSCI may allow for easier export and import ofexisting feed lists, such as a user's feed subscription list in astandard RSS aggregator. Various feed lists maintained or generated bythe IAP may be presented or otherwise made available in OPML. Forexample, a user viewing a second user's profile in the friends networkmay be provided with a function to view the feed subscriptions for thesecond user. By clicking a button or link, or in one embodiment byselecting their friend from a portion of the interface on the SPMSCI,the second user's feed subscriptions may be loaded into the SPMSCI forviewing. A URL querystring, a text box for URLs, a local file directorybrowsing function, or the like may be provided on the SPMSCI for theuser to directly load an OPML file into the SPMSCI, allowing the user toeasily view feed items from, subscribe to, or indeed perform any sort offeed subscription, review or management of the loaded feeds. In thismanner, any individual or company may provide the directory structurefor display in the SPMSCI. For example, ESPN may host an OPML file thatlists their available feeds, including a directory style categorybreakdown. A user may enter the location of the ESPN directory file inthe SPMSCI, or click on a link including a querystring element pointingto the OPML file location, and the user may then manage subscriptions ofESPN feeds.

Similarly, as the area of feed items 4480 displays feed information, thedata to be loaded into that area may be provided in one or morestandardized formats such as atom, RDF, or any version of RSS. Again aURL querystring, a text box for URLs, a local file directory browsingfunction, or the like may be provided on the SPMSCI for the user todirectly load a feed for into the SPMSCI, allowing the user to easilyview feed items from, subscribe to, or indeed perform any sort of feedsubscription, review or management of the loaded feed.

If the requested OPML or feed file is on a remote server, the SPMSCI maycircumvent any sandboxing issues in a variety of ways, for example byproxying the request through the SPMSCI hosting server, as known in theart.

FIG. 45 a-b illustrate schematic diagrams of various embodiments of anintelligent thin client at 4500 a-b. A web server 4520 may serve webcontent including an intelligent thin client 4530 that may display dataincluding data from database 4510 to a user of client computer 4540.Client computer 4540 may be a desktop, laptop, dumb terminal, PDA, cellphone, or indeed any web client capable of displaying an interfacetechnology capable of background data updates. When intelligent thinclient 4530 is received at client computer 4540 it may include a firstset of data for display, or may initiate a request for display dataafter its receipt. In one embodiment, intelligent thin client 4530 mayrequest data from a single source such as web server 4520.

In one embodiment, intelligent thin client 4530 may request data updatesfrom multiple sources. Multiple remote web servers 4520 may be sourcesof data updates, or if client computer 4540 is on a local network, forexample behind firewall 4550, that may include a local web server 4560,intelligent thin client 4530 may request data from one or more local webservers 4560 as well. For example, a company may host a feed on aninternal server with private or proprietary company announcements thatit does not wish to make publicly available. By hosting the feed on aninternal server that does not have a publicly accessible IP address ordomain name, the information may be protected. Intelligent thin client4530, being within the local network, may request data from local webserver 4560. Some client side technologies include certain sandboxing,or security features, that disallow certain functions. For example, anintelligent thin client 4530 may not be able to directly requestinformation from a server other than the server on which the intelligentthin client 4530 is hosted. Some technologies, such as javascript, donot hold this limitation, and may be used to pull the content into theintelligent thin client 4530, even if the intelligent thin client 4530is not predominantly written in javascript. For example, a javascriptmay be set to execute on a regular basis that makes remote data requestsand uses dynamic HTML to update portions of the web page, for example aniframe or div, that host intelligent thin client 4530, as is known inthe art. Intelligent thin client 4530 may not have limitations fromreading its own hosting page, so the data may now be read in to theclient.

Additional features may be provided by the intelligent thin client 4530.For example, prioritization, filtering, ranking, and other such logicmay be performed by intelligent thin client 4530. Intelligent thinclient 4530 may include in its initial load, or may make one or morerequests to one or more servers for data providing rules for such logic.This may offload some of the processing required to prioritize, sort,filter or the like messages for a particular user to the user's clientcomputer 4540.

Another feature an intelligent thin client 4530 may provide is that itmay include additional control over information display not inherentlyincluded in standard HTML. Flash, for example, may display text in anuncopiable format—that is, a user may not highlight or otherwise selectthe text to have it pulled onto a clipboard. Intelligent thin client4530 may provide selective ability to forward information itemsdisplayed to a user. Some content providers may not desire theirinformation to be generally available, either because it is provided ona paid subscription or paid individual basis, or because the informationis sensitive, such as the above described local server embodiment. If aforwarding function is not provided to the user, and the text isuncopiable, it may provide sufficient protection for some information orcontent providers to make their information available via such a methodand interface. Additional protection and security may be provided byproviding secure delivery of data delivered to the intelligent thinclient 4530, such as SSL, and/or some level of coding or encryption onthe text as it is transferred between the server and client.

FIG. 46 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for delivering feed formatted content to an intelligent thinclient at 4600. A request is issued by a user for IAP content delivery4610. The delivery vehicle, for example an internet browser such asInternet Explorer or Firefox, loads the intelligent thin client 4620.The intelligent thin client initializes by loading feed access rules4630. The feed access rules may have been delivered with the thinclient, or may be collected by a separate request. The intelligent thinclient then issues one or more remote access requests 4640 for the IAPcontent.

FIG. 47 a-b illustrate schematic diagrams of various embodiments ofinterface screenshot for selecting a customized IAP interface at 4700a-b. FIG. 47 a illustrates a user desktop in the first step of selectinga customized IAP interface, including a screenshot of a web browser4710. The user is browsing the site of a sponsor company. A sponsorcompany is one that has an associated customized IAP interface. Forexample, a newspaper may wish to have a customized IAP interface. Thenewspaper website may include a button or link 4720 for signing up foror downloading the customized IAP interface. In the case that the IAP isa web-based interface, the user may be taken to another web page.Alternatively, if the IAP is a software-based program, the softwaredownload or installation may be prompted from the sponsor site. Inanother embodiment, the user may be redirected to the IAP site and thedownload or installation may be prompted there.

FIG. 47 b illustrates a user desktop after they have selected todownload or sign up for the customized IAP, including a screenshot of aweb browser 4730. This may be displaying a web page on the same site ofthe sponsoring company, at another site hosted by the sponsoringcompany, or at the IAP site. This may also be prior to or after anynecessary software download or installation has taken place. In oneembodiment, a second page is not required, as the software may managethe functions described as being performed on the browser displayed at4730. In one embodiment, individual user accounts are created for theIAP. The IAP may alternatively function with anonymous use. In the casethat a user account is allowed or required, a user may be presented witha sign up button or link 4740 if they do not have an IAP account yet. Asign in section 4750 may also be supplied for users already holding IAPaccounts.

FIG. 48 illustrates a schematic diagram of one embodiment of aninterface screenshot for affiliate feed subscription at 4800. A webbrowser interface 4810 displays a page that may be hosted by the IAP orby a sponsor site. A user is presented with options for feedsubscription 4820-4840. For example, feeds from the sponsoring party, orlead affiliate feeds 4820 may be displayed, and optionally selected bydefault. Also listed may be subordinate affiliate feeds 4830, andcomplimentary feeds 4840, any of which may be selected by default. Inone embodiment, the feeds displayed on web browser interface 4810 may bepre-selected or predetermined based on the selected customized feed, orlead affiliate feed. All or some of the listed feeds and their selectionstatus may be predetermined or dynamically generated. Predeterminedfactors and rules for dynamic factors may be stored in a profilecorresponding to the selected customized interface. In one embodiment,these factors may be entered via the affiliate interface, and updated byaffiliate feed association commands.

In one embodiment, a user may not be provided the option to select thefeeds they wish to receive associated with the customized IAP interface.Alternatively, they may specify user preference input regarding thefeeds. In one embodiment, selecting a customized IAP is also associatedwith the request for a lead affiliate feed. For example, selecting thenewspaper customized IAP, as in the above example, may subscribe a userto a feed associated with the newspaper. In one embodiment, selectingthe customized IAP may also subscribe, or suggest subscription to theuser for a lead affiliate feed and any associated affiliate feeds.

FIG. 49 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for selecting a customized IAP interface at 4900. First, a userperforms some action regarding a customized IAP interface such asclicking download or signup on an IAP, affiliate, or third party site,selecting a sponsor for an IAP interface already downloaded, changingthe configuration of an existing IAP account, or the like, at 4905. Inthis manner it is indicated that a user request for a customized feedinterface has been initiated at 4910. Each customized IAP interface mayhave a feed group associated with it, and based on the customized IAPinterface selected, this feed group may be identified at 4920. The IAPthen determines an affiliate feed relationships held by feeds within thefeed group at 4930. In one embodiment, for example, the feed group maybebe identified based on affiliate feed database 2540. These affiliatefeed relationships may be supplied as multiple individual feeds,individual feeds grouped under an aggregate feed, or the like, at 4925.These feeds are then optionally presented to the user for approval,provided to the user through forced initial association, provided as arecommendation list, or the like, at 4935. After the user approval, ifsuch is allowed or provided, the feeds are associated with the user asfeed subscriptions at 4940. In one embodiment, for example, the feedsubscriptions may be stored in subscription database 2530. The feedinterface is then configured at 4950. In one embodiment, for example,this is based on the selected customized IAP interface, and thesubscribed feeds. Configuration may include, for example graphical orskin selection, and other optional IAP interface adjustments. Feed itemsare then delivered to the user at 4960. In one embodiment, for example,the IAP control server 2510 delivers the feed items via the customizedIAP interface, or some other interface, in accordance with thesubscribed feeds held in subscription database 2530. In one embodiment,new affiliate feeds may be added to the users subscribed feeds,recommended to them on a feed interface configuration page forsubscriptions, or the like, at 4955. In one embodiment, for example,affiliate feeds may change based on an affiliate feed associationcommand. In one embodiment, the IAP may track delivery and feed itemresponse data at 4970.

In one embodiment, for example, the tracking may be based on any leadaffiliate or subordinate affiliate relationships existing among thesubscribed feeds.

In one embodiment, a customized IAP interface is not associated with asponsor, but maintained by the IAP. For example, the IAP may offerinterfaces customized towards individuals interested in sports,business, or the like. Skins may be designed and feed groups selectedbased on the customized interface.

In one embodiment, an IAP may have an interface branded to match a site,service or product. This branded interface may be called a skin, and thesite, service or product will be called a sponsor. For example, a usermay download a version of the IAP that includes a coca-cola icon thatmay expand a browser window that may also be branded with coca-colacolors and logos. In one embodiment, the company supplying the IAP mayoffer or require a user downloading the IAP to select a sponsor fortheir download. This selected download sponsor may dictate the brandedskin displayed for the user. Sponsors may pay to be listed as skinoptions during the sign up process, and a sponsor may pay to be listedas the default skin option during the sign up process. Sponsors mayselect to be listed as a skin option or as the default skin for all IAPusers, or may select to be listed based on one or more usercharacteristic. In one embodiment, the user may adjust all branding bychanging their IAP configuration. Alternatively, portions of the IAP maynot be changeable, while select portions do change based on a selectedskin.

In one embodiment, the selected skin may be included in thecharacteristic profiled response database. A sponsor may make specificselections for default feed formatted content subscriptions for usersthat download their sponsored version of the IAP. In one embodiment theIAP may also make different recommendations for original feedsubscriptions based in part on at least the characteristic profiledresponse database, any supplied registration information, or theselected skin or sponsor. The sponsor may, in one embodiment, maintain apriority placement for information on the IAP. For example, a feed itemmay hold a high priority based on a user's history and it's timerelevance, but a feed item that would be prioritized lower based onthese factors but that is from a feed associated with the sponsor may bedisplayed ahead of the first feed item.

In one embodiment, advertisers may select what IAP users they wish totarget based at least in part on the user's selected skin. In oneembodiment, a sponsor may be granted some level of exclusive advertisingrights overall or within a product or service category.

In one embodiment, a charity or other organization may promote the useof one or more feeds or one or more branded or unbranded versions of anIAP. For example, a student newspaper may promote the use of an IAPbranded with a skin for a local movie theater. Each user, or each userthat is determined to be a student at that particular institution, mayselect to download the movie theater branded IAP. The student newspapermay earn a certain amount of money for each user that selects to do so.In one embodiment, the student newspaper or movie theater may alsoselect one or more feeds to include as part of a default profile ofsubscriptions for any user that sets up the IAP from their download, orthat later selects their skin. For example, users selecting the movietheater skin may have included in their default profile of subscriptionsa feed for show times at the movie theater. As another example, the usermay also have included in their default profile of subscriptions a feedfor the student newspaper.

In one embodiment, advertising feed formatted content may be sent to theuser, either through feeds specified as part of their default profile ofsubscriptions, or inserted into a non-subscription based personal feed.In one embodiment, a sponsor or provider of an IAP download may share inthe advertising revenue earned from the IAP user. Alternatively, asponsor may be paid, or may pay, for each user that downloads a brandedIAP.

In one embodiment, a charitable donation may be associated with someform of IAP interaction. For example, a certain donation may be madewhen a person becomes an IAP user, perhaps depending on what skin orsponsor they select. By way of another example, feed subscription, andother feed item interaction may result in donations made to one or morecharities. A feed subscription interface for the IAP may includeinformation about the charitable donations provided for specifiedactions such as those listed above.

In one embodiment, user feed subscription information may be sharedeither on an individual or aggregate basis to business entities. Forexample, a skin sponsor may be provided with aggregate informationregarding what feeds are subscribed to by users that have their skinselected. A statistical comparison may also be provided comparingaverage subscription information versus subscription information ofusers with that particular skin. Interaction information beyondsubscription may also be provided. For example, Blockbuster Video maysponsor an IAP skin. If those with the Blockbuster skin show a higherpropensity to subscribe to an Internet Movie Database feed than does theaverage IAP user, Blockbuster may choose to advertise new releases andother products and services on the Internet Movie Database site.

In one embodiment, the IAP may record user interaction with feedformatted content, for example in feed database 2520, subscriptiondatabase 2530, or user database 2550. For example, a user to feed itemtable or user to feed item instance table may be provided. When a userviews a feed item, an identifier associated with the feed item or feeditem instance and an identifier associated with the user may be insertedin a table. In one embodiment, the table entry may include an indicationthat the item was viewed. If a user reads a feed item, an entry may bemade in the same table indicating that the feed item was read, inanother table specifically for recording read items, or an existing itemin a table may be updated to indicate the feed item status in relationto the user as read. Similarly, if a user recommends an item, that maybe recorded as well. In one embodiment, the IAP may include interfaceelements that allow a user to select the feed item status they wish toview. For example, the interface may provide the options to view new,viewed, read or recommended items. Based on the user selecting the view,the records in the table associated with that user are retrieved. Thefeed formatted content associated with the records is also selected. Thefeed formatted content is then displayed to the user based on theirselection.

In one embodiment, a toolbar or Internet spidering program may beprogrammed to search a domain for a list of feeds in one or morespecific locations in a file of a certain name and file extension. Forexample, a program searching the yahoo.com domain may attempt to call upa feed list at http://www.yahoo.com/rss.opml or when searching theespn.com domain may attempt to call up a feed list athttp://www.espn.com/rss.opml. The feed list may contain a list of feedsand/or a list of additional locations to search for feed lists. A uservisiting any page of a website may thereby be presented with the list offeeds available for that domain, by examination of the feed list file.For example, a user may have a button on a browser or browser toolbarthat, when clicked, takes the user to a subscription page displaying thefeeds listed in the feed list at the standard location. Alternative totaking the user to a subscription page, the user may be automaticallysubscribed to the feeds in the feed list, or the feeds may be displayedon the browser or toolbar including an opportunity to subscribe to themindividually. Alternative to a standard location, one or more pages in awebsite may contain a meta tag, such as a link element, for example oftype “application/rdf+xml”, that may point to the location of a feedlist.

In publishing feed formatted content, many uses may be achieved bytracking use and other response information with regards to the contentor feed itself. FIG. 50 illustrates a flowchart representative of oneembodiment of a method for providing profiled feed response tracking at5000. Feed access, also called subscription, may be recorded anonymouslyor indexed to a particular user. For example, a request for a feed maynot include personally identifying information regarding user node 220that made the request. Alternatively, a request may be made from anidentified user node 220. User characteristic information input isreceived into the system 5002 either through association with theanonymous request, the request itself indicating the characteristic of auser that has requested that feed or geographic location of the requestestablished by IP address to geography translation, or throughassociation with the user characteristic information associated with theidentified user node. Characteristic information associated with theidentified user node may include other feeds requested, feed accessfrequency, feedback received from the user with regards to one or morefeeds or feed items, access frequency, age, sex, location, or other userinformation held in a profile or established by other means.

In one embodiment, profile information may be collected by the IAPeither at registration or at some other time. This information may beused to provide profiled feed response tracking 5000, and further tomake feed and feed item recommendations to IAP users.

User profiles may be maintained by feed aggregation and display softwareat user node 220, at content provider node 230, at publishing node 240,or at advertiser node 250. The characteristic information received orinput is then used to determine a characteristic profile 5004 of therequestor. Feed formatted content response data is then received 5006and collected by the receiving node. Feed formatted content responsedata, collectively response data, may take many forms. In oneembodiment, response data is related to feed formatted contentinteraction. For example, continued feed requests, discontinuance offeed request, or recorded removal of feed subscription may constituteresponse data. Further, response data may include clicking on links in afeed item, or other access of online resources referenced in the feeditem. A cookie associated with the feed request may be employed to trackindirect access of resources listed in or referenced in a feed item. Forexample, a feed item may reference a sale being held on a particularwebsite and a link may be provided in the feed item to access that website and a cookie associated with the request displaying that feed itemmay be placed at user node 220. If the user clicks on the included link,this action may be received as feed item response data. If the userlater visits the web site, the cookie identifies them as having receivedthe feed item and this action may be received as feed item responsedata.

Another method of receiving feed item response data 5006 includes theuse of a user survey, and reception of associated user survey input. Afeed item may include this user survey in its content. For example, adisplayed feed item may have a link that says, “I liked thisinformation.” If the user clicks on this link, it is received as feeditem response data. There are many types of surveys that may beincluded, such as, providing the user the ability to rank the feedformatted content on a scale of one to ten, to provide a basic good orbad response, or to provide free form written response. The survey maybe displayed with the feed item, or there may be a link to the survey inthe feed item, or the resource available by following link element 5008may include the survey.

Received feed formatted content response data is recorded in acharacteristic profiled response database 5008. This data may then beused for many purposes. For example, reports may be generated withindividual or aggregated response information for feed publishers orother entities. For example, aggregate response information may beprovided via an online interface to allow potential subscribers to viewfeed formatted content popularity or other feed formatted contentcharacteristics. Collaborative filtering may be applied over thecharacteristic profiled response database to provide feed formattedcontent recommendations.

In one embodiment, data from a characteristic profiled response databaseis used to dynamically create feeds and associate them with users. Forexample, feed formatted content response data may indicate that userswith certain profile characteristics have enjoyed a particular feeditem. The IAP may create a feed and index it to users who fit that setof profile characteristics but have not received that particular feeditem. The feed item may then be indexed to this feed. In this manner,one or more users may be provided with a feed item even though they havenot subscribed to a feed containing that feed item.

In one embodiment, a user interface for the aggregation and display offeed formatted data may include a ranking mechanism for the feedssubscribed to by the user or to the individual feed items received bythe user. Information compiled in the characteristic profiled responsedatabase may be used for this ranking mechanism, which may, for example,raise a feed formatted content higher on a display list. A type of feeditem, group of feed items, feed or group of feeds may be categorized bythe system for use in displaying the feed formatted content to the user.These categories may be accessed by a link, button, or the like on aconvenient point of the interface, if for example the user frequentlyclicks on information in that category. Alternatively the user may sethis own category access preferences. The categories may include itemsclassified by, for example, subject matter topics, friends, groups, andthe like.

In one embodiment, a feed formatted content aggregation and displaysystem can run additional searches for similar or associated informationrelated to a feed for which the user has shown preference. For example,if a user indicated high priority in a survey or via an interface to alldata from New York Times website concerning new weight loss techniques,the system could scan the feed items title and/or key words alone or incombination and search other websites for associated or similarinformation. This associated information can then be accessed via theaggregation and display system. Related feed items or related web pagesmay be indexed and given singularly or listed in part or in whole to theuser based on user request or sent automatically.

FIG. 51 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing feed formatted content at 5100. A user providesfeed formatted content response data at 5102. A server determines atleast on profile group based on the response data at 5104. The serverassociates a user with the profile group at 5106. The server indexesfeed formatted content, one or more feeds, or one or more feed itemsassociated with the profile group to the associated user at 5108. Theprofile group may be associated with profile characteristics. The usermay be associated with the profile group based on the profilecharacteristics.

FIG. 52 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for monitoring feed formatted content at 5200. The client sideprovides user characteristics input for a plurality of users at 5202.The server side determines one or more characteristic profiles for theusers based on the user characteristic input at 5204. The client sideprovides a response associated with feed formatted content from at leastone user having the determined characteristic profile at 5206. Theserver side records the response associated with the feed formattedcontent in a characteristic profile response database associated withthe determined characteristic profile at 5208. The server side providesa recommendation to feed formatted content to a second user having thedetermined characteristic profile at 5210. The client side receives acommunicated recommendation at 5212. Data associated with thecharacteristic profile response database may be provided to a feedprovider. In one embodiment, the response may comprise a user surveyinput.

FIG. 53 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for prioritizing feed formatted content at 5300. The server sideassociates a user with a characteristic profile response database andprioritize feed items within a user feed based on the characteristicprofile database at 5302. The client side provides response data to thecharacteristic profile response database at 5304. The server sidemodifies the database based on the response data and modifies theprioritization of the feed items within the user feed based on themodified database at 5306.

FIG. 54 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for profile feed response tracking at 5400. The client sideprovides a feed request at 5402. The server side determines at least oneuser characteristic based on the feed request and records the usercharacteristic in a characteristic profile response database at 5404.The client side provides response data associated with the fed requestat 5406. The server side associates the response data with the usercharacteristic in the characteristic profile database at 5408. Theserver side may employ a cookie responsive to the feed request, trackinterest access of resources listed in or referenced in a feed itemassociated with the feed request and apply filtering data to thecharacteristic profile response data at 5410.

FIG. 55 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing feed formatted content at 5500. The server sideprovides user characteristics at 5502. The client side provides at leastone feed item and one user profile associated with the feed item at apublisher node at 5504. The server side populates user feeds based onthe user profile and the user characteristics at 5506. In one embodimentthe user profile may include demographic information.

FIG. 56 illustrates a flowchart representative of a process forproviding feed formatted content in association with a social networkdatabase at 5600. First, user profiles are recorded (BLOCK 5610). In oneembodiment, for example, the IAP control server 2520 may accept newusers and their associated new user profiles, and record the userprofiles in the user database 2550. User profiles may be accepted via aweb interface, or any other method of registration for a service asknown in the art. User feed subscriptions are then recorded (BLOCK 5620)in association with the user profiles. In one embodiment, for example,the IAP control server 2520 records the feed subscriptions for each userin the subscription database 2530.

User relationships are recorded in a social network database (BLOCK5630). In one embodiment, for example, the role of social networkdatabase 2560 is to maintain records of relationships between people.For example, social network database 2560 may record as a friendrelationship that a first user has indicated that they are friends witha second user. Users may indicate with whom they are friends byspecifying email addresses, user names, searching for the same andclicking a link or button, or by clicking on a link or button providedto them by their friend. In one embodiment, one user indicating they arefriends with another user is enough to establish the friend relationshipwithin the social network database. Alternatively, the other user mustconfirm the friendship for the relationship to be established. Socialnetwork database 2560 may also record as a family relationship that afirst user has a familial tie with a second user.

A variety of factors, including feed subscription, recommendation, orrating information may be used individually or in combination as inputsinto the process for providing feed formatted content in associationwith a social network database (BLOCK 5635). In one embodiment, forexample, using social network database 2560, the IAP may accomplish manyfeatures with regards to feed recommendation or delivery. Based onrecorded or received information, feed formatted content affinity isdetermined (BLOCK 5640). In one embodiment, for example, the feedsubscription, recommendation or rating information stored insubscription database 2530 or user database 2550 may be used inconjunction with social network database 2560 to determine feedformatted content affinity. In one embodiment, feed formatted contentaffinity may be determined as follows: IAP control server 2510 maycompare the feed subscription information between a first user and asecond user that have a friend relationship recorded in social networkdatabase 2560. IAP control server 2510 identifies a feed formattedcontent received by the user but not the second user. Finally, a feedformatted content is delivered (BLOCK 5650). Continuing the aboveexample, based on the identification, the feed formatted content may bedelivered to the second user. Other methods may be employed to determinewhat feed formatted contents are delivered based on social networkdatabase 2560. For example, the social network database 2560 may also beused in conjunction with user database 2550 to ascertain users that havesimilar profile data and also hold some relationship, and deliver feedformatted contents based on this. Further, social network database 2560may be used in conjunction with the subscription database to determineusers that have similar subscriptions as well as hold some relationship,and deliver feed formatted contents based on this. Alternatively, othermethods of determining associated interests such as purchase histories,survey results, or the like may be used in conjunction with socialnetwork database 2560 to deliver a feed formatted contents. Any of thesefactors may be used in combination to deliver a feed formatted contents.

In one embodiment, a user may supply recommendation or ratinginformation associated with a feed formatted content. Theserecommendations may be stored in feed database 2520, subscriptiondatabase 2530, or user database 2550. A relationship may be maintainedbetween the recommendation or rating and the user that supplied it. Inthis way, another user may view recommendation or rating informationsupplied by other users associated with them in the social networkdatabase 2560. In one embodiment, a user may specify a feed formattedcontent they wish to recommend by clicking on a link on the IAPinterface. This recommendation input may be in the form of a numeric orsimilar rating, a basic statement of recommendation, it may be in theform of a written review, a selection from a menu, or it may be acombination of these. Recommendation input may also include negativeinput. The user may have the option to make the recommendation to thepublic in general, to the users associated with them in social networkdatabase 2560, or to specific individuals or a group of individualsassociated with them in social network database 2560. In one embodiment,the likelihood that an item is delivered to a user is affected by therecommendations supplied in conjunction with the closeness of therelationship they maintain with the person supplying the recommendation.For example, a recommendation to the public in general may not produceas strong a feed formatted content affinity as a recommendation supplieddirectly to an individual by another user with whom they have a friendrelationship.

In one embodiment, a recommendation may be made to an entire socialnetwork, or a larger portion of a social network than a user has directconnections with. This recommendation could therefore include anextended friend circle, two or more degrees away from the user. For therecommendation to be sent to each user in the extended friend circle, aconfirmation of the recommendation may be required by a direct friend ofa user before the user received the recommendation. The confirmedrecommendation may indicate that it comes from the initial recommender,or the confirmer. In one embodiment, the recommendation may not requirea confirmation, but the recommendation may be delayed in its delivery tothe extended network to give an opportunity for confirmation.

Also, when a user is viewing a feed formatted content, anyrecommendations regarding the feed formatted content by their friendsmay be seen. A user may view recommendations or reviews made by directfriends, or select to view recommendations or reviews by friends thatare two degrees or more away.

In one embodiment, the prioritization of feed item delivery via the oneor more methods of communication maintained by the IAP may be based on auser's subscription settings, time relevancy of the feed item,recommendations, and social network database 2560. Recommendations maybe weighted based upon closeness of relationship, a user's reaction toprior recommendations from the same source, as well as whether it was adirect recommendation to the user, a recommendation to friends, or ageneral recommendation. Feed item prioritization may also be based on afrequency factor. A frequency factor is the frequency items are postedat the feed source. Feed items may also be prioritized based on therecentness they were posted, as well as the quality of the feed source.The quality of the feed source may be based on the number of subscribersto a feed, the age of the feed or site publishing the feed, a thirdparty ranking of the site, such as the Google or Alexa rank of the sitepublishing the feed.

FIG. 57 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing feed formatted content at 5700. The client sideprovides a user profile and user relationships at 5702. The server siderecords a plurality of user profiles of users, records at least one userfactor, and associates user profiles and user factors at 5704. Theserver side determines a feed formatted content affinity based on theassociation and user relationships, and provides feed formatted contentbased on the affinity determination at 5706. A user factor may be usercharacteristics, demographics, or information such as feedsubscriptions, recommendations to feed formatted content, or rating offeed formatted content.

FIG. 58 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing feed formatted content at 5800. A feed request isreceived at 5802. A user is indexed to at least one feed from a feedsubscription database based on the request at 5804. Rating options areprovided to the user at 5806. A rating is received from the user at5808. Feed formatted content is provided to the user based on the ratingat 5810.

FIG. 59 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing feed formatted content at 5900. A feed formattedcontent request is received at 5902. A user is indexed to feed formattedcontent at 5904. The user is indexed to a feed formatted content historyat 5906. Feed items are ranked at 5908. Feed formatted content isprovided to the user based on the ranking at 5910. User feed formattedcontent rankings may be one or more of the following: profiledcharacteristic response data, explicitly provided feed, feed itemrankings, or feed item subset rankings, or feed formatted contentrecommendations. The rankings may also be based on a social network.

Personal or group circumstances that result in particularly highinterest levels in certain feed formatted content may be recognizableand recurring in nature. For example, the hours just previous to lunchor dinner are likely to indicate high interest levels for restaurantadvertising. Tuxedo information may result in high interest levels formen who are engaged to be married. Nightclub and movie advertising mayresult in high interest levels each weekend. While these templateopportunities may be as simple as the above case of recognizing a timeof day for restaurants, they may involve much more complex templates.For example, a template may be based upon online behaviors such asvisiting certain sites or searching for certain words, or the like.Additionally, a template may be based upon profile information obtaineddirectly from a profile or via profile-based targeting from athird-party site. Further, a template may be based upon factors externalto the user such as time, day, IP-based geographic targeting, or thelike. Some templates may be based on a nature sketch. A nature sketch isa quality that may be displayed in a variety of manners. For example, atemplate advertising opportunity may include a competitivenessattribute. Applying an individual to the competitiveness attribute maybe done in variety of ways, the only part necessary to them falling intothe template opportunity that the attribute is expressed in some way.For example, competitiveness may be attributed based upon the results ofa personality profile the user filled out, or based upon frequentlychecking scores in fantasy leagues, interest in sports, gambling sites,or the like. Such attributes and nature sketches may be stored in orindexed to a characteristic profile response database.

FIG. 60 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for feed formatted content advertising at 6000. A server providesa template advertising opportunity at 6002. The server determineswhether a user is associated with the template advertising opportunityat 6004. The server associates a user with feed formatted content basedon the determination at 6006.

Determining an opportunity to exercise a template advertisingopportunity may be achieved in a variety of ways. Using the example of aman engaged to be married, this information may be directly volunteeredby the user. The user may have provided this information erroneously,and therefore a degree of certainty may be applied to the likelihoodthat this is the expected template opportunity may be assigned. Ifprofile information suggests that the user is male there is a largerdegree of certainty that they are a man engaged to be married than ifthey were simply an anonymous user. If this user, recognized as male,also is visiting wedding registry sites or has subscribed to feedsassociated with wedding information, the degree of certainty againincreases. Based upon the attributes provided regarding each user, atemplate advertising opportunity system may apply a degree of certaintythat a user is in each template advertising opportunity.

Advertisers or other entities may be provided the opportunity toassociate one or more ads or information, for example feed formattedcontent, with a template advertising opportunity. The advertiser mayfurther select a degree of certainty that a user is in the template fortheir advertisement to be displayed.

Template advertising opportunities may be discovered in a variety ofways. There may be an understood causation that leads to the creation ofa template. This is called a determined template. For example, one mayrecognize that certain geographical areas that represent college marketsdisplay high interest levels on travel package advertising in the monthof February. Upon examination one recognizes that this interest is dueto college spring breaks that begin the following month. Based on thisrecognition the college spring break determined template may be created.

An alternative method of recognizing template advertising opportunitiesemploys past advertising and interest level information, such as thecharacteristic profile response database system previously described.The profiled response database system is capable of recognizing abstracttemplates, these may be made up of what seem to be randomcharacteristics that combine to increase positive response input.Examination of the characteristics may explain the template advertisingopportunity, allowing descriptive titling, but in some cases the causeof the template may remain unknown.

Both determined and abstract template advertising opportunities may bemade available to advertisers. An advertiser may be queued for a userwho enters a template. Alternatively, an advertiser may request toadvertise to users already in a template. For example, an IAP maymaintain one or more feeds and associated feed formatted content that isindexed to a template advertising opportunity. Based on IAP userinteraction, either through specific input, for example via a survey onan IAP user interface, or by received response or behavior input, theIAP may index a user to a template advertising opportunity in the IAPdatabase. In one embodiment, the indexing between a user and a templateadvertising opportunity also includes a certainty factor, indicating thecertainty level that they are indeed in the indexed template. Based onthis association, the IAP may recommend subscription or automaticallysubscribe the user to the appropriate feed.

For example, consider the following advertising opportunity. An IAP maybe a local entertainment site, and further it may hold standard profileinformation such as the age, location, and sex of the user. A bar maywish to advertise a ladies night special. Each week, on the night of thespecial, the bar may publish feed formatted content or some other formof advertisement over the IAP to IAP users over the age of 21, furthertargeted to the zip code of and other zip codes surrounding the bar. Anadvertisement may not even require scheduling on a regular basis, thebar may submit the advertisement only on one of the ladies nights toinclude information as specific as how many people are currently at thebar. This on the fly advertising may be submitted by phone order or viaonline interface. Restaurants and bars in a given city or geographicregion may have template ads stored in a database that would be modifiedupon a call to an IAP command center or via another notification methodsuch as fax, email, instant messaging, and the like. Alternatively, thesame ad may be scheduled to be displayed at a regular interval. If auser is detected present at a computer, a check for geographic and otherinformation for that user would be made and a time sensitive ad would bemade from the ad server. If a time sensitive directive were received atthe IAP command center from Joe's bar, the Joe's bar template ad wouldbe pulled and appropriate language in accordance with the directivewould be inserted in the ad and displayed on the appropriate IAPs. Forexample, an ad at Joe's Bar may be delivered to a user “Come on in,drinks are half off.” The ad may not be served if there is additionalprofile information about the user that would not be compatible with theadvertiser or advertisement. Alternatively or in addition, a banner ortext advertisement could be served to a web page separate from the IAPsent to the user's computer based on the same criteria.

FIG. 61 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing real time advertising at 6100. The server sidereceives an ad placement request and creates a feed formatted ad basedon the ad request at 6102. The client side provides a request for feedformatted content at 6104. The server side receives a request for feedformatted content, determines at least one demographic of a user, andprovides feed formatted content including the feed formatted ad based onthe demographic characteristic at 6106. The conversion of the ad maycomprise modifying a previously provided ad template with updatedinformation. The ad placement request may comprise a recurrence input orconditional publishing rule. It may be determined whether a user is at acomputer based on user activity information, and the feed formattedcontent may be provided based on the determination. In one embodiment, auser may provide feedback on the ad. The user may be provided withpoints based on the feedback. In one embodiment, the ad may be providedvia a wireless network or device.

FIG. 62 a illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing a feed based calendar at 6200 a; FIG. 62 billustrates a feed item including an event date marker at 6200 b; andFIG. 62 c illustrates a feed based calendar at 6200 c. First, a feed isprovided including at least one feed item that contains an event datemarker 6202 a. One example of this is seen in feed item 6200 b,containing title marker 502 b and event date marker 6204 b. The feed mayalso be a personal calendar items feed as described above. One or moreusers may subscribe to the feed containing feed item 6200 b. In oneembodiment, the feed source company may also use the feed internally.For example, the source company may provide a web based calendar ontheir website. This may be a feed based calendar 6200 c that isassociated with feed item 6200 b. When the web page displaying the feedbased calendar 6200 c is generated, code in the page associates thecalendar object with the feed. The calendar object reads in the feedinformation, iterating through each feed item. In one embodiment, onlyfeed items for the time period displayed in the calendar, or reflectingother selection criteria such as event locations, are read or iteratedthrough by the calendar object. When the calendar object identifies afeed item with an event date for the time period being displayed, thefeed item is displayed in the calendar 6204 a. For example, the titleelement 6202 b of feed item 6200 b may be displayed in feed basedcalendar 6200 c as seen at 6202 c.

FIG. 63 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing a feed based calendar at 6300. The server sideprovides a feed including at least one feed item containing an eventdate marker at 6302. The client side determines whether the feed itemincludes the event date marker and displays at least a portion of thefeed item in a calendar based on the determination and/or a user eventselection input at 6304.

FIG. 64 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for group scheduling at 6400. The client side provides at leastone calendar feed including feed formatted content from a plurality ofgroup members at 6402. The server side associates the calendar feed witha group calendar, determines open dates on the feed formatted contentand provides open dates feed formatted information at 6404. The serverside may index open dates feed formatted content to at least one feedbased calendar at 6406.

FIG. 65 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for event notification at 6500. The server side provides feedformatted content including at least one event date marker at 6502. Theclient side receives feed formatted content including the event datemarker at 6504. The client side provides an event notification transferrequest at 6506. The server side transfers at least a portion of theevent date marker based on the request at 6508.

FIG. 66 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing event date notification at 6600. The server sidereceives feed formatted content including at least one event date markerincluding at least one recurrence pattern at 6602. The client sideprovides a calendar feed formatted content request including a displaytime frame at 6604. The server side receives calendar feed formattedcontent request including a display time frame at 6606. The server sideprojects the at least one recurrence pattern over the received displaytime frame and provides calendar feed formatted content based on theprojection at 6608. The client side receives calendar feed formattedcontent at 6610.

FIG. 67 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for sharing date information at 6700. A calendar request isreceived at 6702. A friend or associate circle is determined at 6704.Feed formatted content is displayed based on the determination at 6706.In one embodiment, the feed formatted content comprises friend orassociate profile date information.

Feed based calendars may be web or software based, and may be controlledin a variety of ways. For example, the feed based calendar may beprovided as a plug-in or addition to desktop software such asMicrosoft's Outlook program. For example, an RSS reader plug-in forOutlook is available that displays RSS items in inbox folders. In oneembodiment, feed items read into Outlook may be scanned for event datemarkers. When an event date marker is found, the event may be added tothe Outlook calendar. In one embodiment, the user may select whetherfeed items from a particular feed or any feeds at all are to be includedin their Outlook calendar.

In one embodiment, calendar items that are entered into Outlook may betransmitted to the IAP server and indexed to the user as feed formattedcontent including an event date marker. Multiple feeds may be providedto access the user indexed feed formatted content, each feed providing adifferent level of information. For example, one feed might be providedthat only indicates that an event is scheduled, but without informationregarding what the event is. A feed such as this may be distributed tocolleagues or made generally available for the purpose of coordinatingmeeting or event times. A group or individual wishing to schedule ameeting may associate these user calendar feeds with a feed basedcalendar or feed based scheduling program in order to determine optimalmeeting times.

In one embodiment, a scheduling feed based calendar is created for aspecific group. Group members provide a feed to their schedule to be fedinto the scheduling feed based calendar. The provided feed may displayonly when their time is booked or available, and may not display whatthey are specifically doing when the time is booked. Each member of thegroup, or a meeting time coordinator for the group, may view thescheduling feed based calendar to see what time slots are available andschedule meetings based on mutually available times. When a meeting timeis determined, the new feed item associated with the meeting may then bedistributed to the group members.

In one embodiment, individual feed items may be accessed at a particularURL. By forwarding a URL to an individual feed item, for example as alink in an email or on a web page, an event can be distributed in aformat that allows users to add them to a feed based calendar. Forexample, an event organization provider such as Evite® may associate afeed item with an event. When invitations for the event are sent viaemail or when the invitation is viewed in some other form online, a linkor button either to the feed item or that can directly add the feed itemto a feed based calendar may be provided.

In one embodiment, a list of feed subscriptions for a user may be storedat a third party server, such as an IAP server. In this embodiment, aweb or IAP based calendar may be used to display feed items from anyfeed based source to a user via a variety of display devices.

In one embodiment, a feed based calendar may be used in conjunction withfeeds related to a school course. Class schedules, syllabi, extra creditopportunities, and other class related events may be displayed in acalendar. A user of this calendar may have multiple course feedsubscriptions, and the calendar may be useful in identifying potentialscheduling conflicts. In one embodiment, the calendar can also receiveand display events from a local event feed that can include localcultural and promotional events. These events can also be displayedtogether or alone with the class events and again conflicts can beindicated.

In one embodiment, publishing node 240 provides feeds that include eventdate markers. Various organizations may manage feed based calendars, orthe feeds compatible with feed based calendars through publishing node140. In one embodiment, operators at a call center can take and enterevent date marked information for an organization.

In one embodiment, when a user may elect to add an individual feed itemor feed to their feed based calendar for display. When the user makesthis election, they may be presented with the opportunity to providepreference information such as how much of a feed item to display in thecalendar, what color to display the item in, what category of eventitems should it be associated with, or the like. A user may be providedwith the opportunity to include one or more advance reminders forupcoming items. For example, a user adding a feed item that represents aschool test to their calendar may wish to provide an advance eventnotification of two days to remind them they need to study.

Feed based calendars may display different periods of time. For example,views of individual days, work weeks, full weeks, or entire months maybe provided. In one embodiment, if a user is using a view that displaysan event that has advance notification, the advance notification is notdisplayed. However, if the current view does not display the day or timeof the event, the advance notification is displayed.

In one embodiment, feed formatted content with an event marker may alsocontain an audio or visual marker. Content displayed in the feedformatted calendar may include an icon, button, or link when the audioor visual marker is present. In one embodiment, if the icon, button, orlink is clicked, a video or audio file associated with the marker isplayed. In one embodiment, a phone voicemail message may be stored on anetwork accessible server. The phone message may be associated with feedformatted content by an audio marker. When a user views the feedformatted content an icon, button or link may be displayed to give theuser access to the stored voicemail message.

In one embodiment, the feed subscription information to be displayed ina feed based calendar may be held at a central server. Alternatively, itmay be held on a user display device. In one embodiment, the feedsubscription and event information displayed in a feed based calendarmay be provided in aggregated format as a feed itself. For example, anIAP user may register for various feeds, and perhaps have added personalevents, all to be displayed in a feed formatted calendar hosted on theIAP. The IAP user may use another service or visit another site thatemploys a feed based calendar, for example a calendar on Evite®. The IAPuser may wish to populate the Evite hosted calendar with their personalIAP calendar information. In one embodiment, the IAP, and/or other feedbased calendar hosts, may provide a feed that the user may pass intoanother feed based calendar that holds the event and/or subscriptioninformation of the first feed based calendar. The user may specifywhether they wish to copy all feed information over to be stored on thesecond feed based calendar, or whether it should just be temporarilypopulated. Either the link to the user's IAP calendar feed or the copiedinformation may be held in a profile at the host of the second feedbased calendar.

In one embodiment, the feed formatted content to be displayed in a feedbased calendar may be categorized. For example, categories may includework, fun, television schedule, sports practice schedule, and the like.The interface for a feed based calendar may include the option to selectwhich categories are to be displayed. For example, the interface mayinclude a list of categories and associated checkboxes. The feed basedcalendar then only displaying the feed based content indexed to thechecked categories.

In one embodiment, the IAP works with feed formatted content thatincludes one or more event date markers. An event date marker may takemany different formats. For example, an event date marker may be asingle XML element indicating an event date. Alternatively, the eventdate marker may be made up of multiple elements such as those elementsdescribed in the iCalendar, Internet Calendaring and Scheduling CoreObject Specification defined by RFC 2445. The IAP may be able to processmultiple types of event date marker. In one embodiment, the display offeed formatted content that contains an event date marker may include aninterface option to add the content to a calendar. In one embodiment,this calendar may be a feed based calendar hosted by the IAP or someother site or service. Alternatively, the IAP may allow users to readthe feed formatted content into a variety of other calendar programs.For example, the IAP may supply a link that adds the event to a usersYahoo! calendar, a Hotmail calendar, that begins the download of aniCalendar file the user may open and add to Outlook or any otheriCalendar based calendaring and scheduling program, or that providessome other event notification destination. In one embodiment, an IAPuser may configure which calendar or format they wish to have as theresult of clicking on the IAP interface button for adding feed formattedcontent to a calendar by checking boxes or some other way selectingevent notification destination options. In one embodiment, the IAP addsthe event to the user's IAP calendar in addition to one or more othercalendar sites or programs. The IAP may accomplish this by reformattingthe feed item based on the event notification destination options. Forexample, the IAP may parse out the elements of a feed item, create atemporary file, write out the feed item elements in iCalendar formatinto the temporary file, and provide this temporary file to the user. Inthis example, the reformatting takes place at IAP control server 1410.Alternatively, when the IAP display interface receives a feed item fordisplay, it may also receive or have stored the users event notificationdestination options. If the user has selected to have items added totheir Yahoo! Calendar, the interface may parse out the elements of afeed item, and place them into a hyperlink format compatible with theYahoo!

Calendar event format. In this example, the reformatting takes place atthe IAP display interface. The IAP may interact with other eventnotification systems. For example, items may be sent in email format toalert a user. Alternatively, items may be queued to be sent by SMS to auser cell phone.

In one embodiment, a feed based calendar may be used in conjunction withsocial network database 1460. For example, a user may select to sharewith friends a personal calendar feed. A user may also select to havethe birthdays of friends in the social network added to their calendar.This maybe accomplished by the IAP maintaining a feed location thattakes the argument of a username or identification and returns all thefirst degree birthday dates and names in feed format. Selecting to viewbirthdays on the calendar may access this feed and populate the userfeed based calendar. Users may also share conditional purchaseopportunities with their friends by selecting an opportunity andselecting to pass the opportunity on to their friends.

In one embodiment, the IAP takes advantage of another feed enhancingmarker, a geographic marker. FIG. 68 a illustrates a flowchartembodiment of providing a geographically enhanced feed 6800 a; FIG. 68 billustrates a geographically enhanced feed item 6800 b; and FIG. 68 cillustrates the IAP display of a geographically enhanced feed item 6800c. First, the IAP receives a feed item including a geographic marker6802 a. One example of a feed item including a geographic marker isshown at feed item 6800 b, including geographic marker 6802 b. When theIAP displays a geographically enhanced feed item as shown in 6800 c, thedisplay may include a link to geographic data such as map information6802 c or a link to directions information 6804 c.

The geographic marker may take many forms. A geographic marker may be asingle element in a feed item, or it may be multiple elements. In oneembodiment, the geographic marker includes the street address of alocation. In another embodiment, the geographic marker is made up oflongitude and latitude information. Alternatively, the geographic markermay take the form of a location identifier that indexes address orlongitude and latitude information to a separate identifier.

The destination of the link to directions information 6804 c may beachieved by using user address information held by the IAP server, heldat the user node 220, or supplied by the user when they request thedirections information. In one embodiment, the user may have multipleaddress profiles based on, for example, a work address and a homeaddress.

FIG. 69 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for selectively providing a feed based on a geographic marker at6900.

First, a geographic region identity is supplied 6902. The geographicregion identity may be supplied by a user, taken from informationassociated with a user, determined by IP-to-geography translation, or ifthe feed is being displayed as information on a website the geographicregion identity may be supplied by the site administrator.

After the geographic region identity is supplied 6902, a feed itemrequest is received 6904. This request may be received at a feed sourceserver, at a third party pass through server, or at the user node 220.Where the request is received, a comparison is made between geographicinformation included in the geographic marker of the feed item and thesupplied geographic region identity 6906. Based on this comparison, thefeed item is selectively displayed 6908. For example, a user may specifythat they only wish to receive concert information at a certain list ofvenues. This list of venues may be stored at the concert informationsource server, at a third party pass through server, or locally on afeed aggregator and display program. If a request is received at thesource server, including the list of venues, the source server mayselectively supply the concert information feed items based on thislist. The same may be done at the third party pass through server.Requests for feed items at the local aggregator and display program mayprompt the program to iterate through received feed information,discarding feed items that have location markers specifying venues otherthan the select list.

One embodiment of the present invention provides for a feed based map.For example, online mapping service providers such as Rand McNally,Mapquest, and the like, may wish to display a variety of information onprovided maps. In one embodiment, a feed item may include at least onelocation marker, such as longitude and latitude coordinates, or anaddress, that may be used to display at least a portion of the item, ora symbol or the like representing the item, on a map. A user may begiven the opportunity to select one or more feeds they wish to havedisplayed on a map, or coding in a page may dictate what feeds are to bedisplayed. For example, a social network database may include locationinformation associated with its users. A user of the social networkdatabase may elect to view a map that includes display of the locationsof users they have relations with. In one embodiment, the user mayselect to view only friends they have a direct relation with, or theymay select to view friends they are within two connections of, or thelike. The map may display different relations differently.

Another embodiment of a feed based map may include one or more feedsassociated with local businesses. A user may select to view a certainlocation, and may additionally select a certain time. The map may accessa feed including location marker and event marker information anddisplay information that falls within the geographical scope of the mapand also within the time frame selected by the user. For example, a usermay know that they intend to visit a certain area of New York in theupcoming weekend. The user may access a map of the area by specifyingthe address where they intend to stay. The user may then elect to viewany friends they have in the area by accessing a feed associated with asocial network database. Using a link provided with user symbolsdisplayed on the map the user may access a profile for a friend that isnear to the area they are staying and access a feed associated with thatfriend that includes a list of their favorite local restaurantestablishments. The user may select to view the restaurants in that feedon the map, and may then elect to view feed information available forthose restaurant locations with event marker information for the comingweekend. In one embodiment, the restaurant may provide associated with abooking system that indicates whether a reservation is available forthat time period. Alternatively, the restaurant may advertise aconditional purchase opportunity available for that time period, and theuser may elect to place a contingent purchase offer on that opportunity.The user may send a feed item to the friend in New York that includes anevent marker for the invitation. If the friend is unavailable, the usermay have the opportunity to retract the contingent purchase offer, if ithas not yet been transacted. Alternatively, part of the contingentpurchase offer may include a requirement that the friend confirm thereservation offer for it to be transacted.

In one embodiment, the IAP may store or publish feed informationincluding for example, event marker and location marker information forcompanies. Access to the feeds may be provided to other serviceproviders such as Rand McNally, Mapquest, Yellowpages.com, Google, anewspaper site, or the like. In one embodiment, a subscription price maybe charged for access. In one embodiment, the companies may pay for feedinteractions such as subscriptions, items delivered, and feed item linksclicked. In one embodiment, individual companies or groups of companiesrepresented by a feed may have the opportunity to select which serviceproviders they wish to provide access to their feed for. In oneembodiment, inclusion in the information provided by the serviceproviders may require a subscription payment by the individual companyor group of companies. For example, a subscription or payment deal maybe offered to companies with feeds hosted by the IAP wherein their feedinformation may be included on Google as one of their AdWords, and analternative subscription or payment deal may be offered to have theinformation included with a yellowpages.com listing for the company.

FIG. 70 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for selectively providing geographically related feed formattedcontent at 7000. The client side provides a feed formatted contentrequest including a geographic marker at 7002. The server side providesgeographic data to the user based on the geographic marker at 7004. Inone embodiment, the geographic data may comprise one of directions ormap.

FIG. 71 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing information on a map at 7100. Feed formattedcontent including at least one location marker is received at 7102. Amap-based content request is received at 7104. The feed formattedcontent is displayed on a map at 7106 based on the location marker. Inone embodiment, the location marker may include location information ofassociates from a social network database.

FIG. 72 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for selectively providing geographic related feed formattedcontent at 7200. The server side receives feed formatted contentincluding at least one geographic marker at 7202. The client sideprovides a request for feed formatted content at 7204. The server sideassociates the request with a geographic region identity at 7206. Theserver side determines whether to provide at least a portion of the feedformatted content to a user based on a geographic region identity andthe at least one geographic marker at 7208. In one embodiment, thegeographic region identity may be provided by the user with the request.Alternatively, the geographic region identity may be based on a profileinformation, IP-to-geography translation, single or double confirmationtargeting.

FIG. 73 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing location information at 7300. A user location inputis received at 7302. A user time frame input is received at 7304. Feedformatted content is determined based on at least one event date marker,the location input, and the time frame input at 7306. At least a portionof the feed formatted content is displayed on a map based on thedetermination at 7308.

In one embodiment, the IAP can index a variety of user marker signals,for the use of personalizing some aspect of a feed formatted content. Amarker may be an element inserted into a feed formatted content, or itmay be held in a database and used to selectively format or provide afeed formatted content. For example, the IAP can index marker signalsidentifying information referred from a friend. The IAP can forward onfeed items referred from a friend as indexed to the user in the IAPserver database. In one embodiment, a user may receive multiple markernotifications. Examples of possible notifications include audio orvisual signals. For example, a user could receive a first notificationthat a feed from a friend is present, and a second notification that thefeed pertains to a particular subject.

FIG. 74 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing customized feed formatted content at 7400. Theclient side provides at least one user preference to a feed formattingserver at 7402. The server side associates a preference marker with feedformatted content based on the user preference, and determines feedsystem action for the feed formatted content based on the preferencemarker at 7404. The preference marker may be inserted into the feedformatted content. The preference marker may be stored in a databaseassociated with the feed formatting server.

FIG. 75 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing customized feed formatted content at 7500. The feedformatting server may be a PCP, OCP, or ACP. The feed formatting serverreceives user preference information at 7502. User preferenceinformation includes a preference associated with at least one user anda designation of one or more feeds the preference should be applied to.When a feed is generated for the user, a preference marker representingthe preference information is inserted into the feed 7504. Various feedsystem actions may be taken based upon the determined presence of thepreference marker 7506.

FIG. 76 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing customized feed formatted content at 7600. Theclient side provides at least one user preference at 7602. The serverside inserts at least one user preference marker into feed formattedcontent based on the user preference, determines whether feed formattedcontent contains a user preference marker, and initiates feed systemaction based on the determination at 7604.

For example, the IAP can insert a preference marker into feed formattedcontent to notify a user of certain information. The preference markermay include an audible or visual signal. In one example, a link to achime signal can be inserted in the information feed from the IAP serverto the user IAP, which will result in a feed system action of the signalbeing played a predetermined time period relative to displaying theinformation when received at the IAP. In one embodiment, the user canselect chime or other audio signals, or audio/visual signals, toassociate with various categories of information. In one embodiment, thedata fed from the feed source server to the IAP server can be scannedand the preference marker inserted based on keywords identified in thetext of the feed. In another embodiment, the marker is inserted based ona determination of the feed source server.

In one embodiment, a user preference can be specified in preferencemarkers relating to the timing of notifications from particular peopleor subject matters. In this embodiment, each feed item can be forwardedthrough feed system action from the IAP server to the user IAP inaccordance with the preference marker set up by the user. For example, auser can establish one or more preference markers to hold allinformation pertaining to sports news and news from friends until after5:00 PM, but allow stock news through as it is received.

In one embodiment, preference marker placement can be set at the IAPserver based on user interaction with the IAP. For example, informationfrom various feeds can be sent from the IAP server to the IAP based onthe frequency the IAP user has clicked on similar information.

In one embodiment, the customization of the feeds includes theformatting of content to include one or more preference markers. Thereformatting to insert the preference marker can be accomplished at afeed source server, a third party pass though server or at a user'slocal aggregator. The preference markers can be inserted based onprofile data collected from a user, direct indication by a user of auser preference, or desired customization feature, other user usagebased profile data, or the like. In one embodiment, an IAP user mayrequest a feed from a website. The local IAP recognizes the new feed andprompts the user with a user preference invitation. In one embodiment,the user preference invitation may provide one or more customization andpreference options.

In one embodiment, sections of a web site may be designated asfeed-enabled. A feed enabled section of a web site is one that displaysvia the web page information that may be read from a feed. This may beachieved by surrounding a portion of HTML with a feed tag. When a useris on a web page that has a section that is feed-enabled, the mousepointer may change from a pointer to a different icon when hovering overa feed-enabled area. In one embodiment, a user can outline and/orhighlight, or click-and-drag a feed-enabled section of a target websiteto the user's IAP. Alternatively, the user may right click to access amenu option that indexes the feed to their IAP. In one embodiment,responsive to the user action, the feed-enabled website portion isindexed to the user in the IAP database and a third party pass throughrelationship is established between the target feed server, the IAPserver, and the indexed user. The user can then access the informationthrough its connection between the user's IAP and the IAP server.

Another customization and user preference feature provides for eventnotification. FIG. 77 illustrates a flowchart representative of oneembodiment of a method for providing feed formatted content at 7700. Theserver side receives feed formatted content including at least on eventdate marker at 7702. The client side provides at least one userpreference and a feed formatted request at 7704. The server sideselectively provides at least a portion of the feed formatted content tothe user based on the at least one event date marker and at least oneuser preference at 7706. In one embodiment, the feed formatted contentmay be displayed in a calendar. For example, the user may specify a userpreference to turn on the event notification feature for all feeds orfor specific feeds specified or categorized by the user. When in theon-mode, in one embodiment, the local IAP monitors for an event datemarker embedded in the feed. When an event marker is identified a feedsystem action is taken wherein the feed title is made viewable andoperable in a feed based calendar, for example, a Microsoft Outlookcalendar provided with a feed based calendar plug in, or a web basedfeed based calendar.

Another preference feature allows a user to select a feed or customizedfeed to send to one or more friend or associate. The terms friend andassociate may be used interchangeably. FIG. 78 illustrates a flowchartrepresentative of one embodiment of a method for recommending feedformatted content at 7800. The server side receives feed formattedcontent and provides an associate list at 7802. The client side receivesthe associate list at 7804. The client side provides an associatedesignation input based on the associate list and a feed formattedcontent recommendation input at 7806. The server side indexes at least aportion of the feed formatted content to at least one associate based onthe feed formatted content recommendation input and the associatedesignation input at 7808. The associate list may be based on a socialnetwork database. In one embodiment, it may be determined whether theassociate has previously been indexed to the feed formatted content. Inone embodiment, a recommendation table based on the recommendations maybe maintained in a database. In one embodiment, the recommendation inputmay include a comment or recommendation note from the user, and this orsome other portion of the recommendation input may be displayed to therecommended user.

In one embodiment, the user has a friend's list associated with theuser's local IAP. The user can designate a feed for a friend from thelist, and responsive to this designation, the feed system action may betaken wherein the designated feed is forwarded to the friend. In oneembodiment, a “forward to a friend” link or button may be provided nextto a feed item displayed on the IAP. When the link or button is clicked,the user is given the option to designate another user. The designationmay be done through providing an email address, username, or some otherunique identification of a user account. In one embodiment, the user mayhave a list of user accounts already indexed to them in the IAPdatabase. These may be displayed to the user and the user may select towhich account they wish to forward the feed item. When the user accountor accounts the feed item is to be forwarded to have been selected, theIAP server receives the specified accounts and an identifier for thelist item, or the list item itself. Based on this information, the IAPserver may determine whether the users that are to receive therecommendation have already been indexed to the feed item. If the usershave not been indexed to the feed item the indexing is then added. Inone embodiment, an additional indexing is provided based on therecommendation. In one embodiment, a separate recommendation table maybe maintained in the IAP database, and this IAP database may be acharacteristic profile response database. In one embodiment, the IAPserver maintains the recommendation information as response data for thefeed formatted content. In one embodiment, the IAP server maintains therecommendation information and displays it to the user when the feedformatted content is viewed. For example, a feed item that has beenforwarded may include text or link to text that indicates that it wasrecommended. This recommendation indication text may include a list ofthe one or more users who recommended the feed formatted content. In oneembodiment, if a user wishes to forward a feed formatted contentrecommendation to a person who is not an IAP user, a portion of the feedor a particular feed item may be inserted into an email and sent to thenon-IAP user. This recommendation email may include informationregarding how to sign up as an IAP user, such as a link to aregistration page.

Another customization feature allows a user to identify a userpreference for content from feeds based on one or more keywords. FIG. 79illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of a method forcustomizing feed formatted content at 7900. The client side provides atleast one keyword at 7902. The server side determines whether feedformatted content contains the keyword and provides the feed formattedcontent based on the determination at 7904. For example, a user mayspecify keywords of interest. An online web page interface may beprovided that includes a field for text input. The submitted text inputmay be indexed to the user in the IAP database as keywords of interest.Feed content at the IAP can be scanned for the keywords. When keywordsare identified within the content, the feed formatted content holdingthat content is indexed to the user. The feed system action may be takenwherein the user receives the feed formatted content at their IAP orthey may be notified and/or the portion of the feed including the keyword can be stored for later retrieval by the user. In one embodiment,the key word content search can be used to classify all or portions ofdifferent feeds, which are then placed in classified feeds.

Feed preference information may also include preferences regarding userdisplay devices. For example, an IAP user may specify that when theyaccess the IAP from their desktop, information from certain feeds shouldbe displayed. However, when that user accesses the IAP via their cellphone, they may have specified that a different set of feeds should bedisplayed. Delivery preference information may be stored at the IAPserver, indexing a user to a feed or selected feed items and aparticular display device. A request to the IAP may include informationidentifying the device type, and based on this identificationinformation and the delivery preference information one or more feedformatted contents may be selectively displayed.

One embodiment of the present invention includes a feed enhanced timerelevant yellow pages directory online. FIG. 80 illustrates a flowchartrepresentative of one embodiment of a method for enhancing onlineproduct and service listing books at 8000. The client side provides arequest for feed formatted content from an online product and servicelisting site at 8002. The serer side provides a database of feedformatted content from a plurality of companies, indexes the requestfrom feed formatted content to a company listing in the online productand service listing service, and provides at least a portion of the feedformatted content based on the request at 8004. In one embodiment,companies may provide promotional information in real time to thedatabase via a feed formatted content publishing interface.

FIG. 81 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for providing online product and service listing serviceinformation at 8100. The client side provides a request from a user ofan online listing service for company information at 8102. The serverside provides the user with subscribable feed formatted contentresponsive to the request at 8104. In one embodiment, a geographicregion identity may be associated with the user, and the feed formattedcontent may be supplied based on the association.

For example, a user may navigate the yellow pages directory usingexisting methods such as free form search or category drilldown. Eachlayer of category drilldown may provide the user with the opportunity tosubscribe to a feed associated with that category. For example, a usermight navigate to the entertainment category, and see a list ofcategories that includes movies, bars and restaurants, and theater,among others. Each of these categories may be clicked on to furtherdrill down, or a button, link, or feed enabled section of the site maybe provided to allow the user to subscribe to that category. Also, whena user has searched down to individual yellow page entries, such as aparticular list of business locations, each business entry may include alist of current or upcoming sales and events that are also companyspecific feeds that are available for subscription.

A slightly modified interface for the above-described yellow pages couldbe used for cell phone or PDA access. A call center interface could alsobe developed that takes into account geographic information from thecell phone or landline location of the caller. A caller could requestinformation about restaurants around their location and receive currentsale and special information. A server system that translates text tovoice could also be provided to read the specials information. Acall-based system may take audio input into a voice recognition systemor provide options in a call tree manner.

In one embodiment, the company, event, and sale information may bemaintained by a local feed formatted content collection company. Forexample, the local feed formatted content collection company may holdaccounts for advertisers and other entities that include address,category and other information. Each feed item may then be linked to oneof these accounts. This local feed formatted content may then bepurchased by or licensed to other companies, such as, Yellowpages.com®,Superpages.com®, Yahoo®, Google® and other online yellow pages, searchengines, and sites that provide local information. Access to the feedformatted content may be limited by encryption, password, or the like.In this manner, a local feed formatted content collection company mayselectively supply other online companies with access to their feedformatted content. Various methods of secure data transfer may beemployed to transmit the information from the local feed formattedcontent collection company to another site or service. In oneembodiment, the feed formatted content may be indexed to the contentprovided by the other site or service based on address, company orentity name, unique company or entity identifier, or the like.

One embodiment of the present invention includes a request for proposal(RFP) interface and subscription model. Businesses and vendors maysubscribe to feeds that contain RFPs as feed items. The user providing arequest for proposal may either post an RFP document online and link toit via an RFP submission form, or the entire RFP may be entered viaform.

For example, a plumber may register for the RFP system, specifying thegeographic area that the plumbing business services and the method bywhich they wish to be contacted. When a homeowner within the specifiedgeographic area has a clogged drain and submits a request for proposalfrom the plumber, the RFP or link to the RFP is transmitted to theplumber.

This RFP system may be combined with the feed enhanced time relevantyellow pages described above.

One problem with existing on-line advertising is the extra stepsnecessary to get information to a user. Various on-line advertisingapproaches have been taken to target advertising to subject matter ofsearches and key words in content. The user must then, however, click onthe ad and find his way to a desired product or service. The user maythen be required to call the product or service provider or go throughadditional steps to purchase the product or service.

In one embodiment, an IAP may include a request window. A user can typein a product or service of interest into the request window and send therequest to the IAP server. The request would then be scanned for keywords, parsed, and/or interpreted by IAP personnel. The request or aninterpreted or modified version of the request can then be sent to aretail data interface, or RDI, for communicating with the IAP. In oneembodiment the RDI accesses feed formatted content from vendors. Formany products and services, local retailers, e.g. those located within apredefined radius from the user, are necessary and/or desirable. In oneembodiment, once the subject matter of the request is determined, asecond determination can be made to determine if the subject matterrequested applies to local retailers or both local and nationalretailers. In another embodiment, the entity providing the product orservice may choose to be classified as a national or local retailer.Based on this geographic relevancy determination, the request is thensent to the geographically relevant RDIs.

For example, a user may type in a request for a sink to be unclogged andsend the request to the IAP server. The request would be interpreted asa plumber service request being geographically relevant to an areawithin, for example, a zip code, a distance from the requestor'saddress, DMA, or other suitable geographic area. Once the IAP determinesthe relevant geographic region, the region can be compared to a list ofplumber profiles containing the plumber locations and/or geographicareas they are willing to service. The request may then access feedformatted content associated with one or more plumbers that satisfy therequirements. The feed formatted content may be compiled by the IAPsystem via a feed item provider interface, or by receiving faxed,emailed, instant messaged, or called in feed items from the feed itemproviders. Alternatively, the request is then sent to the plumbers andthey can send a reply via their RDI to the IAP server, which then sendsit on to the requester's IAP. The plumber's reply, for example, caninclude the plumber's phone number along with a cost estimate or typicalrange and when he could arrive. Alternatively, in one embodiment, therequestor can phone in the request to an IAP command center—where thecall can be digitally recorded, interpreted and sent as a digitalmessage or text message to the RDI. In another embodiment, the serviceprovider is provided with contact information for the requestor,enabling the provider and requestor to communicate directly. In someembodiments, the contact information for the requestor is only forwardedto the service provider if the requestor gives permission for the IAP toforward the contact information.

In one embodiment, a retailer's inventory information can be sent from aretailer database, accessible via feed formatted content, to respond toa request. For example, a request might be received at the IAP serverfor a digital camera. The IAP server recognizes this as a requestserviceable by Best Buy, and directs the query to the local Best BuyRDI. The Best Buy RDI interfaces with the store inventory database,requesting current inventory and pricing information on digital cameras.The response is then routed back to the IAP that originated the requestfor digital camera information. In one embodiment, the retailer may havea feed with set responses to send on to requesters. This database may beheld on a computer maintained by the retailer or on the IAP server.Alternatively, the retailers product and pricing information can be partof a local electronic products or other subject matter feed that isupdated periodically through a feed provider interface or any othercommunication means. An IAP user may subscribe to the electronics feedto have updated information on promotions of electronic products fromlocal retailers.

Some users may be more comfortable getting a product from a localretailer. In one embodiment, the retailers inventory can be checked anda request to a wholesaler or manufacturer can be made in response to therequest. So even if the retailer does not presently have the productavailable, the retailer can reply that a shipment will arrive on acertain date. In one embodiment, the retailer could send a productrequest to a wholesaler or manufacturer data interface MDI via the IAPserver. The manufacturer can send a reply from the MDI to the RDI viathe IAP server. In one embodiment, manufacturer inventory data can beintegrated with the MDI to facilitate a response to the RDI.

In one embodiment, the IAP may be used for facilitating bulk purchasesand associated savings. For example, a deal might be presented to theIAP whereby a local store is able to sell a set of golf clubs at fifteenpercent below retail if it is able to purchase ten sets from thesupplier. Invitations to take part in the fifteen percent savings aresent out via the IAP. Users may, in one embodiment commit to purchasingthe set if nine other sets are sold. When the ten sets are all pre-soldthe IAP may charge previously stored credit card accounts for each userand inform the local retailer that the bulk purchase may be made.

Alternatively, an IAP user may request a product. Based upon the productrequest the company managing the IAP may negotiate a potential bulkpurchase, or a retailer may propose a bulk sale via their RDI. Again, asbefore, invitations to take part in the purchase are sent to likelycandidates via the IAP.

Often times a person may be enticed into desiring a product or servicethrough an ad, but may still want to purchase it locally. Based on alevel of interest value, a request can be sent from an ad server to anIAP server. The IAP server can then, based on the product or servicecategory, send a request to one or more geographically relevant RDIs.

In one embodiment, a RDI can publish a feed formatted content response,accessible to the IAP server, indicating that it sold a product orservice to a requester, or the two parties may transmit the data inanother manner as known in the art. The IAP can then post a request forrecommendation to the requester IAP. The recommendation can be held in arecommendation database, which may also include a friends andacquaintances database indexed based on profile data entered by users.This profile data may be initial registration requested data or createdbased on activity of the requester or other IAP user, for example, whena requesters IAP is combined with as second IAP, or the reverse, it canbe inferred that the requester and the second user of IAP are friends.Other methods of establishing relationship networks are known in the artand may be employed. In one embodiment, an IAP user can request aproduct or service and specify friends and/or general recommendations.The IAP server can directly send a reply from the recommendationdatabase with general information. In one embodiment, therecommendations may be made accessible by link or provided directly witha reply from a retailer.

FIG. 82 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod for class management at 8200. The client side provides eventinput and a subscription request for feed formatted content at 8202. Theserver side converts the event input to feed formatted content andprovides at least a portion of the feed formatted content into a feedbased student calendar at 8204. In one embodiment, a time overlap may bedetermined, and the calendar appearance may be modified based on thedetermination. In one embodiment, a sponsor ad may be associated withthe feed formatted content, and the ad may be displayed on the feedbased student calendar. In one embodiment, a sponsor may request toplace an ad in the feed formatted content, receive a reply to therequest, and the ad may then be indexed to the feed formatted content.In one embodiment, the feed formatted content may be displayed in asponsor or branded interface. In one embodiment, users may be subscribedto the feed formatted content based on class enrollment provided by aschool database or other source.

In one embodiment, a feed can be established for school classes withevent dates for all tests, papers, assignments, and other class events.For example, once a feed is established the teacher can insertadditional class events or modify dates on existing class events. In oneembodiment, the class events can each be an individual feed item. Thetitle of each feed item can be inserted into a calendar at the userscommunication device in accordance with the event date markers. In oneembodiment the teacher can create new feed items with new dates via ateacher interface. In one embodiment, the calendar can include acheck-off box to allow students to check off when a particular classevent is completed. In one embodiment, the teacher can mark some classevents as mandatory events. The student may then have the option ofviewing the calendar with only mandatory events. The student calendarcan also display one or more class feeds at a time. In one embodimentwhen overlapping class events occur, the calendar can notify the studentby modifying the color or appearance of the day box on the calendar. Inone embodiment, the student can submit and monitor progress status forgroup projects on the calendar, which will be sent to other students inthe group via a feed.

In one embodiment, sponsorships can be offered to local businesses tosponsor talent shows, science fairs, school dances, sporting events andother school events. In one embodiment, the sponsor's name or slogan canbe displayed when a school or class event title is clicked on from thecalendar. In one embodiment, sponsors can sponsor the class calendars.There can be different sponsors for the student calendars. In oneembodiment, calendars for the lower grades may be accessed by parents ora separate parent calendar may be provided that may include, in additionto the child's school and class events, PTA and other parent/school,parent/teacher, or parent/student events. In one embodiment, thesponsor's ad can be displayed as a border of the calendar. In otherembodiments it can be displayed on the click through event web page.

In one embodiment, a delivery company, or company that receives or sendsdeliveries, creates a feed associated with deliveries. FIG. 83illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of a method forproviding package tracking at 8300. The client side provides deliveryaction input and a customer subscription request at 8302. The serverside converts the delivery action request input into feed formattedcontent and provides the feed formatted content based on the request at8304. In one embodiment, the delivery action input and customersubscription request may be a shipping account, a shipping address, apackage identifier, or the like.

For example, a deliver company, such as FedEx®, may provide feedformatted content customized to each customer, or may provide feedsbased on address. A customer may subscribe to a feed by providing theircustomer account number or by providing their address. As a deliverypasses through the FedEx system, notifications regarding such actions asdelivery receipt at a distribution center, or receipt of deliverysignature may be posted as feed formatted content. Similarly, a companythat ships or receives many deliveries may set up a feed for customersor associates to receive information regarding when deliveries areprepared or shipped. In one embodiment, a company may redistributeshipping information received from a shipping company in a feed to theirown customers or associates. For example, the feed formatted contentfrom the delivery company may include a package number marker that thecompany shipping the package may have associated with a particularclient. When the company shipping the package receives the feedformatted content from the deliver company, the content may be scannedfor package number marker, the package number marker associated with aparticular client, and at least a portion of the content redistributedinto that clients feed.

FIG. 84 illustrates one embodiment of interacting with the presentsystem. Television 227 of FIG. 1 may serve to display to an end userinformation transmitted via network 210. Television 227 may be an analogor digital television, a projector and screen, or other such device forvisual display. Network 210 may be a private network, such as a cable orsatellite television service provider network, the public Internet,other public or private networks, or some combination thereof. In analternate embodiment, the network may include broadcast electromagneticsignals. In one embodiment, an additional device may be used to provideadditional features or facility to the television, for example STB 228or gaming console 229. Such devices will generally be referred to asnetwork decoders. A network decoder may include many features beyondsignal decoding and tuning, such as, for example, gaming, mediaplayback, and the abilities of a digital video recorder. Sometelevisions may include built in components that perform the decoding,tuning, and other features that might otherwise be performed by anetwork decoder. Also illustrated is remote control 8402. Remote control8402 may communicate user input to television 227, a network decoder,both devices, and additional devices. In one embodiment, remote control8402 may receive information as well, for example from a networkdecoder. Such communication to the remote control may be via blue tooth,or another type of wireless transmission. Information may becommunicated back to network 210 by television 227 or a network decoder.Such upstream communication may be provided through the samecommunication channel, such as in the case of a network decoder attachedto a coaxial cable on a digital cable network, or alternatively it maybe provided in an alternate channel, such as through a phone lineconnected to the network decoder.

Satellite, coaxial cable, Ethernet, and telephone, including DSL, linksmay be used with televisions and network decoders to provide users withaccess to, and the ability to interact with, the described systems,features, and interfaces. In one embodiment, aspects of data storage ortransfer, or aspects of GUI processing or display may be performed at atelevision, at a network decoder, or some combination thereof. Suchservices may generally be provided by a television service, such as, forexample, a cable or satellite television provider. A user providedaccess to such as television service may be referred to as a subscriber,and specifically a subscriber to that particular service.

FIGS. 85 a-d illustrate various remote controls that may be usedindependently, or in conjunction with television 227, STB 228 and gamingconsole 229. Remote control 8500 a is a conventional remote control,including standard buttons for-demand services 8502, menu 8506, power8508, exit 8516, and enter 8518, as well as navigation control 8510,playback controls 8512, and number buttons 8514. In addition to thesestandard buttons and controls, and not included in conventional remotecontrols, a news button 8504 is included. News button 8504 serves toinitiate the display of a personalized television IAP (PTVIAP). In oneembodiment, remote control 8500 a communicates with STB 228, which holdsthe PTVIAP program and displays it on the television 227 in a mannersimilar to the display of a conventional cable menu guide, or cableon-demand service. Many telecommunications service providers and gamingsystems hold user accounts at remote servers and methods exist thatallow these services to identify end user devices such as STB 228 andgaming console 229 that are associated with each particular useraccount. In one embodiment, an IAP user account may be associated withsuch a device, and the device may display IAP information configured onthe device, or on another user device such as computer 224. Informationdisplayed on the television may then include any of the information,advertising or sponsorship opportunities from any variety of sources aspreviously described. For example, a list of aggregated news items froma list of feed sources selected by the user may be displayed ontelevision 227 and navigated using, for example, navigation control8510, enter button 8518 and exit button 8516.

Remote control 8500 b includes the same buttons and features as remotecontrol 8500 a, but also includes display screen 8520. In oneembodiment, display screen 8520 displays information received from thetelevision or network decoder. For example, a programming guide could benavigated, and a channel selected, using display screen 8520. Anyvariety of information described as being displayed on a computer,television, or the like may be displayed on display screen 8520.

Remote control 8500 c includes the same buttons and features as remotecontrol 8500 b, but in this embodiment all buttons and features aredisplayed on touchscreen panel 8520. Touchscreen panel 8520 may displaybuttons and features in a variety of configurations, for exampleswitching based on the current television feature being used. Oneinterface may be displayed for playing an on-demand video. A secondinterface may be displayed for viewing a programming guide. Remotecontrol 8500 d illustrates an alternate interface display on touchscreenpanel 8520. This interface includes QWERTY keys 8522, enter button 8524,space button 8526, and back button 8528. Additionally, an interfacereturn button 8530 may be included to switch the interface to aprevious, or basic, remote interface.

In one embodiment, multiple IAP accounts may be indexed to a particulartelevision or network decoder. For example, a household may have anaccount with a cable company, generally referred to as a master account,and that master account may include a master login username and passwordto a web site. On the website the user may create IAP accounts for eachperson in the household. Information stored with each IAP account mayinclude first name, last name, user name, email address, and a personalidentification number (PIN). In an alternate embodiment, IAP accountsmay be created on the television or network decoder using conventionalremote 8500 ca, or touch screen remote 8500 d. As another alternative,the IAP accounts may be created by the service provider at the requestof the user.

After IAP accounts have been created, aspects of user interaction withthe television and network decoder may be customized to each IAPaccount. For example, when news button 8504 is selected, the televisionor remote control may display the list of IAP accounts associated withthe television or network decoder. Using navigation control 8510, theuser may select their IAP account. In one embodiment, the user may beprompted to enter their PIN before their account is accessed. Based onthe selected account, news or other information, such as a favoritechannel list, may be displayed on the television or remote control.

In one embodiment, account lists and other news and informationdisplayed on the television or remote control may be pulled directly, onrequest, from network 210. Alternatively, such information may be cachedon the television or network decoder.

As previously described, IAP information may be displayed on a remotecontrol or on a television. The display may cover all displayable areaon the device, or may only cover a portion. For example, many cabletelevision systems include the ability to scroll through a programmingguide of available channels on the bottom half or third of thetelevision screen. A similar amount of screen real estate may beutilized for IAP information display.

One example of IAP information that may be accessed via the PTVIAP isfeed formatted content. In one embodiment, a user may specify the feedsources for display on the PTVIAP. Various methods may be utilized tospecify these sources, including specifying an OPML file for import,selection via a feed selection interface, individual feed source entry,or the specification of one or more existing aggregator accounts, suchas, for example, Gritwire or Bloglines.

Another example of IAP information that may be accessed via the PTVIAPis fantasy sports information. Examples of operational interaction withfantasy information include, but are not limited to, (1) off-seasonactions such as configuring the fantasy league, accessing pre-seasonrankings of fantasy players and conducting a draft of the fantasyplayers, (2) in-season, off-time actions such as managing a lineup priorto or subsequent to real-time performances by the fantasy players, andaccessing reports of past performances by the fantasy players andcommentaries on predicted future performances of the fantasy players,and (3) in-season, gameplay actions such as managing a lineup duringreal-time performances by the fantasy players, and accessing reports ofreal-time performances and real-time playing status of the fantasyplayers.

Sponsorship information may accompany fantasy sports information.Sponsorship information may include advertisement/promotion of good(s)and/or service(s) as designated to a fantasy player on an individualbasis and/or a team basis, the term “individual basis” is broadlydefined herein as a designation by a sponsor of anadvertisement/promotion of good(s) and/or service(s) to a specificplayer (e.g., Indianapolis Star designates the promotion of its paper toPeyton Manning, quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts), and the term“team basis” is broadly defined herein as a designation by a sponsor ofan advertisement/promotion of good(s) and/or service(s) to a specificteam (e.g., Indianapolis Star designates the promotion of its paper toall of the team members of the Indianapolis Colts).

Television display of such fantasy sports information, including videoclips of plays made by the actual teams and players, may particularlyfacilitate certain sponsorship opportunities. For example, a cabletelevision account will generally be associated with a specificgeographic location, often down to a specific mailing address. Localestablishments may be provided the opportunity to provide individual orteam basis sponsorships based on the location of the cable accountaccessing the fantasy sports information. For example, a bar located ina particular neighborhood of Chicago may be a popular bar for thePittsburgh Steelers. That bar may sponsor fantasy sports information,including video clips, displayed on cable accounts in the areasurrounding the bar on a team basis related to the Pittsburgh Steelers,or on an individual basis related to, for example, quarterback BenRoethlisberger.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a user may elect to sharevideo clips, including entire programs or multiple programs, from theirtelevision. FIG. 86 illustrates a flowchart representative of oneembodiment of a method for sharing video content at 6100. A user of thesystem indicates a selected clip 8602. The selected clip is then markedfor sharing 8604. Information related to this share is provided 8606 toother users of the system. One of these other users requests to view theshare, and the access request is received 8608. The clip is thenprovided to the other user 8610.

The clip selection 8602 may be received from a variety of input methods.For example, a user may press a button on a remote indicating they wishto share an entire program. Alternatively, the user may be provided withan interface to select on a program timeline the beginning and endpoints of the clip. In another embodiment, a user may record a programor segment of a program to a digital video recorder (DVR) and mark thisrecorded clip for sharing.

Marking the clip for sharing 8604 may be performed in a variety ofmethods. For example, the share information may be recorded at a centralIAP server indicating a master source for the program, for example acable company server, or a server associated with the channel on whichthe program was originally broadcast. Such a marking may include adatabase recordation on the sharing user, the start time of the clipwithin a program, and the end time within the program. Alternatively,the recordation may be stored on a user device, such as a networkdecoder. In one embodiment, the stored reference to the shared clip maypoint to a recorded clip on a network decoder with DVR capabilities.Requests for the shared clip may pull the content directly from the usernetwork decoder, or the clip may be transferred to a central server.

FIG. 89 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod of operating a shared information system at 8900. A recorded cliprecommendation request is received from a recommendation source 8902. Arecipient is determined based on the recommendation request, wherein therecipient is a user different from the recommendation source 8904. Arecorded video clip is determined based on the recommendation request8906. An ad based on a group or individual profile associated with thedetermined recipient is determined 8908. The determined clip and thedetermined ad are associated with the determined recipient 8910. Clipsharing may include a variety of advertising and sponsorshipopportunities. For example, an ad may be associated with the delivery ofa shared clip based on the determined recipient. This ad selection maybe based on a user profile associated with the recipient, informationsuch as the user's geographic location, or other such targeting methods.In one embodiment, a share or recommendation may be a channelspecification. Such a recommendation may be sponsored or include anadvertisement, and may be displayed on a channel recommendation system.

In one embodiment, interaction with a television may be recorded, forexample at a service provider server. Information recorded may includeactions such as turning the television on or off, browsing on-demandcontent, selecting or changing a channel, duration spent at a channel,instances of fast forward or rewind, or the like. As the television maybe directly connected to a network, or connected to a network via anetwork decoder, such information may be quickly transmitted. As theinformation may be uploaded to the central server on each action, orsoon thereafter, the information may be said to be recorded in realtime. With such real time information collected, a variety of userspecific or aggregate audience queries and services may be provided.Such information may be referred to as, or used to calculate real timeviewership or real time audience information. In one embodiment, only astatistical sampling of real time user data may be recorded or used forthe provision of such services. A user may elect to participate in realtime television data collection, or alternatively, a user may elect notto participate. In one embodiment, electing not to participate mayremove the user from reporting on an individual basis, or the receipt ofpersonalized services, but their data may still be collected foraggregate presentations or services. Users may also elect to baseparticipation on specific channels. For example a user may be willing toshare their viewing of CNN, but may be more hesitant and elect not toshare their viewing of Spike TV. Users may also elect to opt in or optout of participation on an individual show basis. For example, a usermay elect to participate in a personal or aggregate service whilewatching a presidential debate.

FIG. 90 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod of operating a shared information system at 9000. At least onevideo clip is determined based on real time viewership information 9002.At least one subscriber is determined based on a group or individualprofile 9004. The determined video clip is associated with thedetermined subscriber 9006.

FIG. 91 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod of operating a shared information system 9100. Viewership of aplurality of channels is determined in real time 9102. The determinedviewership is categorized by geographic regions 9104. A plurality ofsponsorship offers are provided based on the geographic categories 9106.At least one sponsorship bid to at least one of the sponsorship offersis received from at least one advertiser 9108. A geographic location ofvideo clip recommendation recipients is determined 9110. A sponsorshipbased on the received bid and the determined geographic location isdetermined 9112. The determined sponsorship is associated with at leastone of the video clip recommendation recipients 9114.

One embodiment of the present invention includes a real time audiencesupplemented television programming guide. A user may select to displaya programming guide on their television. Such programming guidesconventionally display a particular time period, along with rowsrepresenting a channel and the shows on the channel during theparticular time period. This conventional display may be enhanced byincluding the real time audience data associated with each channel. Forexample, while browsing the channels, a user may note that aparticularly large number of people are watching the John Stewart Show.Based on this they may elect to view that channel, and thereby find thata particularly significant guest is on the show. Such an exploration anddiscovery might not take place without the popular suggestion based onreal time audience data.

Real time audience supplemented television programming guides may breakdown and display viewership by geographic region or other demographicfactors including age, gender, income, etc.

Real time audience supplemented television programming guides mayadditionally incorporate one or more friend networks. A friend networkmay be established for a particular television service, or alternativelythe service may associate user accounts of the service with useraccounts of a third-party friend network service, such as MySpace. Usersmay then elect to view filtered audience data based on what theirfriends are watching, or additionally they may elect to view audiencestatistics over relationships two, three or more degrees away.

FIG. 87 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod of operating a channel recommendation system at 8700. A channelrecommendation bid interface is provided 8702. A channel recommendationbid request is received via the interface 8704. A recommendation link tothe channel is displayed on at least one user recommendation displaydevice based on the channel recommendation bid request 8706. When a useris reviewing possible channel selections for viewing, they may elect touse such a television programming guide provided on the television, oron a remote control associated with the television. In one embodiment,when multiple channels are listed on the programming guide, they may beprioritized in their display. For example, recommended channels may bedisplayed higher on a list, earlier in an ordered display, or in one ormore featured positions on the programming guide. This may provideadditional convenience to the user by recommending the best programmingavailable. Prioritization can be based on various factors includingtotal or segmented viewership data, sponsorship bid amounts, geographiclocation, or other profile or demographic data.

FIG. 88 illustrates a flowchart representative of one embodiment of amethod of operating a channel recommendation system at 8800. A channelrecommendation bid interface is provided 8802. A channel recommendationbid request is received via the interface 8804. A real-time viewershipof at least one channel is determined based on the bid request 8806. Arecommendation link to the channel is displayed on at least one userrecommendation display device based on the channel recommendation bidrequest and the determined real-time viewership 8808. Recommendationlinks on a programming guide may be based on a variety of factors. Forexample, real time audience numbers may impact the placement of achannel. Historical viewing of a channel, television series, or aparticular episode may also impact the placement of a channel.Geographic location may provide another factor. Profile information,such as viewing history, location, demographics, behavioral data, andthe like may also impact ordering. Profile information may be stored onindividual users or for groups of users. A group or individual profilemay be used for a variety of purposes such as recommendation provision,prioritization, advertisement or sponsorship targeting, or the like.

An individual user's profile may also impact a personalized ordering,for example based on past viewing history, based on the current showbeing viewed, age, gender, interactions with other services such as oneor more websites, or other demographic or behavioral information.Recommendation links may be viewed on a user recommendation displaydevice, such as a video display device. A video display device mayinclude, for example, a television or remote control. Such a device mayinclude a recommendation listing interface for the display ofrecommendation links.

In one embodiment, an interface may be provided to representatives ofthe channels in a programming guide. The channel recommendation bidinterface may allow the representatives to enter placement bids for thechannel recommendation system. One embodiment of a channelrecommendation bid request includes the channel associated with the bid,a bid amount, and a transaction specification. A transactionspecification may be fixed within the interface, or a variety oftransaction specifications may be provided. The transactionspecification indicates the action that causes the execution of the bidamount, or an associated amount, to be charged to the representativeaccount. By way of an example, a representative for ESPN may enter a bidassociated with ESPN, with a bid amount of fifty cents, to be paid basedon a viewer of the programming guide selecting to change the channel toESPN.

Many transaction specifications may be offered for bid. For example,changing to a particular channel, changing away from a particularchannel, changing to a channel and viewing it for a specified timeperiod, electing to record a show, electing to purchase access to ashow, electing to purchase access to a channel, electing to record allepisodes of a show (such as the Tivo® season pass), electing to specifythe channel as a favorite channel, or the like. Bids may also beprovided for aggregate transaction specification responses such as aspecific number of people performing any of the above listed transactionspecifications.

A further optional specification would be a particular placement slot onthe programming guide. For example, a representative may elect tospecify that their channel be listed third on the programming guide. Bidamounts, or another monetary commitment may be specified in order toattain this position. As other bids received in the system may affectplacements of existing bids, the bid amount or monetary commitment for aposition specification may vary over time. In one embodiment, arepresentative may specify a maximum bid, monetary commitment, or totalbudget for one or more channel placement bids.

In one embodiment, the ordering of a programming guide may be based uponplacement bids received on the channel recommendation bid interface.Additional factors may be included in a channel placement bid. Forexample, the bid may be specified for a certain geographicspecification, a conditional publishing rule, demographic targeting,profile group targets based on behavioral and historical viewing, orother such targeting. Another factor that may be included is adesignation of specific portion of channel content, such as a time slot,a particular show, a particular series, a particular episode, or somecombination of these. For example, a channel may encounter major dropsin audience numbers when running up against a particularly strong showor set of shows on other channels, such as the standard time slot forAmerican Idol. The channel representative may elect to place a bid forthe time slot held by American Idol in an attempt to lure viewers.

In one embodiment, a channel representative may place a bid inconjunction with or associated with one or more advertisers. Forexample, an advertiser may provide some portion of a channel placementbid for channel, show, or episode that will contain a product placement,an advertisement for their product, or the like.

As discussed, the order of a programming guide may be based on thereceived bids. In one embodiment, the channel recommendations mayincorporate other factors, such as those previously described. Theplacement in a programming guide may be based on a combination of one ormore bid requests and real time viewership of one or more channels. Forexample, a channel representative may place a strong bid associated witha show that does not appeal to the targeted viewers, as reflected by thereal time viewership of the show while the channel placement is high.The placement may then be lowered based on the poor response rate. Realtime viewership measurements may include viewership activities as well,such as changing channels, fast forwarding, turning off the television,or the like. The channel placement may also incorporate pastperformance, or a particular viewer history.

In one embodiment, the channel recommendation system may beself-optimizing. Optimization metrics may include, for example, positiveviewer interactions with the recommendation system, bid executions,income, a combination of these, or other factors. Using the previousexample, the strong bid for the poor show may result in fewer convertedbids, but the bid amount may compensate for some portion of the reducedconversions, helping maintain a higher placement.

Many other features may be implemented in a channel recommendationsystem that may provide additional methods for recommendation. Forexample, users may maintain a list of favorite channels or channels toignore, or a user may select a category of show they are interested inviewing, such as sports or music. The system may also make use ofinformation such as shows currently recorded on a user DVR, or the like.

In one embodiment, information displayed on a television may make use ofsimilar encoding and transmission to closed captioning. Information maybe encoded into Line 21 of a vertical blanking screen, or in the case ofdigital television, additional streams may be available. Informationsent in such streams could indicate a wide variety of information suchas channel recommendations, news, fantasy sports information, or othercontent including various markers. Information described as being sentvia other methods may also be sent through such streams, and informationhere described as provided through streams may be provided through othercommunication methods. In one embodiment, a stream or a portion of astream may be used to provide users or other systems with informationabout the current show, such as what song is playing in the background,what type of car a person is driving, actor or actress information, orthe like. Markers included with such information may allow opportunitiesto look up additional information, the ability to purchase a product orservice, or other interaction opportunities.

While this invention has described segments individually includingcommunications network and node interaction, feed formatted content,feed publication and redistribution, profiled feed response tracking,IAP and feed consumption, unique feed item provision, enhanced feedprovision, feed based calendar, geographically enhanced feeds, feedpreference formatting, feed sponsorship, template feed opportunities,feed enhanced time relevant yellow pages, request for proposal system,class management system, package tracking system, IAP continued,affiliate feeds, branded IAP interface, feed based map, item window,single page multi-source configuration interface, feed list locationstandardization, intelligent thin client feed access remoting, channelrecommendation, and video clip recommendation, in many cases there maybe cooperative use among them.

For example, a wide variety of sponsorship and advertising opportunitiesmay be presented with the described embodiments, including varioustargeting methods, recurrence patterns, conditional publishing rules, orthe like. For example, information transmitted in streams may includesponsorship or advertisements. Information displayed on a remote controlmay include sponsorship or advertising. Recommended video clips mayinclude accompanying sponsorship or advertising, for example stored onthe user network decoder or added during transmission to the receivinguser.

In one embodiment, the PTVIAP may include feed list locationstandardization, or branded interfaces. A feed enhanced time relevantyellow pages may be displayed on the PTVIAP, for example as part of anon-demand system. Feed based calendar features may be available on atelevision. Various services may be accessed in the same or varyinginterfaces based on user access devices such as televisions, gamingsystems, mobile phones, computers, or other such devices.

These and other combination of the methods may be implemented insoftware using standard techniques.

These and other combinations of the methods and systems may also becontemplated by one skilled in the art, and as such are in the spirit ofthe invention.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms withoutdeparting from its spirit or essential characteristics. The describedembodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrativeand not restrictive.

We claim:
 1. A system for providing channel recommendations over anetwork, the system comprising: a processor and a memory coupled to theprocessor, the memory containing programming code to: provide a channelrecommendation bid interface at a service provider server of atelevision service; receive a channel recommendation bid request on thechannel recommendation bid interface; determine at the service providerserver of the television service at least a first subscriber; determineat the service provider server at least one channel based on the channelrecommendation bid request and based on real time viewership informationof the television service, the real time viewership informationcomprising real time interaction information from at least a secondsubscriber distinct from the first subscriber, the second subscriberhaving a relationship with the first subscriber in a social networkcomprising relationships between user accounts stored on a socialnetwork server, the relationships being established in response to arequest from a first user account to connect to a second user account;associate at the service provider server the determined channel with thedetermined first subscriber; and provide from the service providerserver to a subscriber display device of the first subscriber arecommendation link to the determined channel.
 2. The system of claim 1,wherein the recommendation link to the determined channel is one of aplurality of channel links on the subscriber display device.
 3. Thesystem of claim 2, wherein the channel recommendation bid requestincludes a bid amount and the plurality of channel links is orderedbased on the bid amount.
 4. The system of claim 3, wherein the channelrecommendation bid request includes a transaction specification and thechannel links are ordered based on the transaction specification.
 5. Thesystem of claim 4, further comprising programming code to determine asecond set of viewership information, wherein the second set ofviewership information comprises real time interaction information fromat least a third subscriber distinct from the first subscriber and thesecond subscriber, the third subscriber does not have a relationshipwith the first subscriber in the social network, and the plurality ofchannel links is ordered based on the real time viewership informationand the second set of viewership information.
 6. The system of claim 3,wherein the plurality of links is ordered based on the real timeviewership information.
 7. The system of claim 6, further comprisingprogramming code to determine a second set of viewership information,wherein the second set of viewership information comprises real timeinteraction information from at least a third subscriber distinct fromthe first and second subscribers, the third subscriber does not have arelationship with the first subscriber in the social network, and theplurality of channel links is ordered based on the second set ofviewership information.
 8. The system of claim 7, further comprisingprogramming code to determine for the first subscriber a related groupprofile or individual profile, wherein the plurality of channel links isordered based on the related group profile or individual profile.
 9. Thesystem of claim 7, further comprising programming code to determine forthe first subscriber a related group profile or individual profile,wherein the plurality of channel links is ordered based on the relatedgroup profile or individual profile.
 10. The system of claim 3, furthercomprising programming code to determine a second set of viewershipinformation, wherein the second set of viewership information comprisesreal time interaction information from at least a third subscriberdistinct from the first and second subscribers, the third subscriberdoes not have a relationship with the first subscriber in the socialnetwork, and the plurality of channel links is ordered based on thesecond set of viewership information.
 11. The system of claim 3, furthercomprising programming code to determine for the first subscriber arelated group profile or individual profile, wherein the plurality ofchannel links is ordered based on the related group profile orindividual profile.
 12. The system of claim 2, wherein the plurality ofchannel links is ordered based on the real time viewership information.13. The system of claim 2, further comprising programming code todetermine a second set of viewership information, wherein the second setof viewership information comprises real time interaction informationfrom at least a third subscriber distinct from the first and secondsubscribers, the third subscriber does not have a relationship with thefirst subscriber in the social network, and the plurality of channellinks is ordered based on the second set of viewership information. 14.The system of claim 2, further comprising programming code to determinefor the first subscriber a related group profile or individual profile,wherein the plurality of channel links is ordered based on the relatedgroup profile or individual profile.
 15. The system of claim 2, whereinthe bid request includes a transaction specification and the channellinks are ordered based on the transaction specification.
 16. The systemof claim 1, wherein the bid request includes a transaction specificationand the channel links are ordered based on the transactionspecification.
 17. The system of claim 1, further comprising programmingcode to provide at least a portion of the real time viewershipinformation to the first subscriber.
 18. The system of claim 17, whereinthe real time viewership information includes information identifyingthe second subscriber.
 19. A computer implemented method of operating achannel recommendation system, the method comprising: providing achannel recommendation bid interface at a service provider server of atelevision service; receiving a channel recommendation bid request onthe channel recommendation bid interface; determining at the serviceprovider server of the television service at least a first subscriber;determining at the service provider server at least one channel based onthe bid request and based on real time viewership information of thetelevision service, wherein the real time viewership informationcomprises real time interaction information from at least a secondsubscriber distinct from the first subscriber, the second subscriberhaving a relationship with the first subscriber in a social networkcomprising relationships between user accounts stored on a socialnetwork server, the relationships being established in response to arequest from a first user account to connect to a second user account;associating at the service provider server the determined channel withthe determined first subscriber; and providing from the service providerserver to a subscriber display device of the first subscriber arecommendation link to the determined channel.
 20. A computer programproduct for providing channel recommendations over a network, thecomputer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium containing computer program code for: providing a channelrecommendation bid interface at a service provider server of atelevision service; receiving a channel recommendation bid request onthe channel recommendation bid interface; determining at the serviceprovider server of the television service at least a first subscriber;determining at the service provider server at least one channel based onthe bid request and based on real time viewership information of thetelevision service, wherein the real time viewership informationcomprises real time interaction information from at least a secondsubscriber distinct from the first subscriber, the second subscriberhaving a relationship with the first subscriber in a social networkcomprising relationships between user accounts stored on a socialnetwork server, the relationships being established in response to arequest from a first user account to connect to a second user account;associating at the service provider server the determined channel withthe determined first subscriber; and providing from the service providerserver to a subscriber display device of the first subscriber arecommendation link to the determined channel.